Marine Corps · Infantry — indirect fire, crew-served weapons
0341 Mortarman VA Disability Claim Guide
The 0341 Mortarman serves in a weapons company mortar section, firing the 60mm and 81mm mortar systems in direct support of maneuvering infantry. The tube, baseplate, and bipod are carried and emplaced by the crew, and firing occurs at close proximity to the muzzle — a combination that produces some of the more concentrated blast-overpressure and noise exposure in the infantry. This service can corroborate an in-service exposure but does not by itself establish a current diagnosis or a nexus. This guide covers the mortarman's duties, the exposures specific to the job, corroborating records, and common denial patterns.
Educational only. A military occupation is not presumptive evidence and does not establish service connection, a diagnosis, or a rating. Last updated 2026-09-06.
What 0341 duty actually involved
Mortar sections carry and emplace the 60mm mortar (dismounted or vehicle-mounted) and the heavier 81mm system, which is typically distributed among several Marines carrying the tube, baseplate, bipod, and sight unit along with ammunition. Fire missions require repeated loading and firing at close range to the muzzle, generating sharp muzzle blast and impulse noise with each round. Forward observers and section members displace the gun position to support maneuver, and mortarmen also stand rifleman-equivalent security duty when the section is not actively firing.
- Carrying and emplacing the 60mm or 81mm mortar system (tube, baseplate, bipod, sight unit) distributed across the crew
- Repeated loading and firing of mortar rounds at close proximity to the muzzle during live-fire missions
- Carrying mortar ammunition, which is heavy and bulky in addition to individual combat load
- Displacing and re-emplacing the gun position to support maneuvering infantry
- Standing rifleman-equivalent security and patrol duty when not conducting fire missions
- Field living conditions common to infantry MOSs: sleep disruption, weather extremes, and dust
What this occupation may help establish
Each item below supports the in-service event or exposure element only, and only when the veteran's own records back it up.
Close-proximity muzzle blast
Firing the 60mm and especially the 81mm mortar places the gun crew in close proximity to repeated muzzle blast overpressure, a documented mechanism of concern for hearing and possible neurological effects.
Records that corroborate it
- · Range and fire-mission records documenting mortar live-fire training
- · Hearing-conservation audiograms (DD 2215/2216) and DOEHRS-HC records
- · Fitness reports and Basic Training Record entries showing mortar section assignment
What it does not establish: Documented blast exposure supports the in-service event element. A current diagnosis — hearing loss, tinnitus, or TBI residuals — and a nexus opinion are still required.
Hazardous impulse noise
Each mortar round fired generates high-intensity impulse noise, and mortarmen are exposed repeatedly during training and fire missions.
Records that corroborate it
- · Audiograms and hearing-conservation program enrollment records
- · Range qualification records for 60mm/81mm systems
- · Fitness reports referencing mortar section duty
What it does not establish: A hearing-loss disability under 38 CFR § 3.385 or a tinnitus complaint and a medical nexus are required beyond the exposure itself.
Heavy system and ammunition carriage
The 81mm mortar system and its ammunition are among the heavier crew-served loads in the infantry, distributed across the section for foot movement.
Records that corroborate it
- · Fitness reports describing mortar section or weapons company assignment
- · Sick call and physical therapy entries for shoulder, back, or knee complaints
- · LIMDU chits and any Physical Evaluation Board records
What it does not establish: Typical crew-served carriage does not by itself establish that a specific joint was injured in service.
Deployment-dependent exposures
Burn-pit and other airborne-hazard exposure depends on installation, location, and dates, not on the mortarman MOS.
Records that corroborate it
- · Deployment orders and unit deployment histories
- · DD-214 remarks block listing deployments and campaign credit
- · Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry participation
What it does not establish: The MOS alone does not establish where a Marine served; presumptive status depends on documented location and dates.
Combat and operational stress
Mortarmen frequently stood security and patrol duty alongside riflemen when not conducting fire missions, carrying similar combat-contact risk during deployment.
Records that corroborate it
- · Combat award citations and unit command chronologies
- · VA Form 21-0781 stressor statement and buddy statements
- · Behavioral-health treatment entries during or after service
What it does not establish: A documented stressor is one element; a PTSD claim also requires a DSM-5 diagnosis and a link to the stressor under 38 CFR § 3.304(f).
Conditions that commonly arise from these duties
This is not a list of conditions to claim. It is a record-driven view of why the occupation may be relevant and what evidence VA looks at. Only you and your treating providers can identify what you actually have.
| Body system | Condition | Why the occupation matters | Evidence VA weighs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hearing | Tinnitus | Repeated close-proximity mortar muzzle blast is a recognized high-intensity noise source. | A current report of persistent tinnitus and a lay account of onset; audiometric changes support but are not required. |
| Hearing | Sensorineural hearing loss | Cumulative blast-related impulse noise is associated with high-frequency hearing loss. | Audiometry meeting 38 CFR § 3.385 thresholds, entrance/separation comparisons, and a nexus opinion. |
| Neurologic / TBI | TBI residuals and headaches | Repeated close-proximity blast overpressure during live-fire missions is a documented mechanism of concern distinct from combat blast events. | Fire-mission records establishing repeated exposure, reported symptoms, and current neurological findings evaluated under the DC 8045 facets. |
| Lumbar spine | Lumbar strain and degenerative disc disease | Carrying mortar system components and ammunition places cumulative axial load on the spine. | Current imaging, in-service documentation of field duty, and an opinion addressing cumulative loading. |
| Shoulder | Rotator cuff pathology and shoulder strain | Lifting and emplacing the tube and baseplate loads the shoulders repeatedly. | Current imaging or exam findings and a nexus opinion addressing cumulative loading. |
| Knees | Patellofemoral pain and degenerative arthritis | Foot movement under heavy crew-served loads stresses the knees. | Current diagnosis with range-of-motion findings and documentation of in-service onset. |
| Mental health | PTSD and depressive disorders | Combat-contact exposure during security and patrol duty is possible for mortarmen deployed alongside maneuvering infantry. | A DSM-5 diagnosis, a described stressor, and treatment records showing functional impairment. |
| Respiratory | Asthma, rhinitis, and PACT Act presumptive conditions | Relevant only where deployment location and dates place the Marine within a covered exposure period. | Deployment documentation establishing location and dates, current pulmonary testing, and a diagnosis on the presumptive list. |
Your occupational claim profile
Tick what actually applied to your service. Nothing is stored or sent — this builds a records list you can copy and take to your provider or representative.
Records that corroborate an occupational history
- DD-214 (Member 4 copy) — Primary specialty, awards, badges, and deployment remarks.
- Complete service treatment records — Sick-call entries, profiles, and separation examination.
- Personnel file (OMPF / enlisted record brief) — Every assignment, duty code, and date you served in it.
- Hearing-conservation audiograms (DD 2215 / DD 2216) — Baseline and periodic tests document noise-hazardous duty and threshold shifts.
- Current medical records with a diagnosis — A current disability is required regardless of what the service record shows.
- A medical opinion connecting the condition to service — Occupational history supports the opinion; it does not replace it.
- Lay and buddy statements — Fill gaps where nothing was written down at the time.
- Mortar section fire-mission and range records — Documents frequency of live-fire exposure to blast and noise.
- Weapons company assignment orders — Corroborates mortar-section duty distinct from a rifle squad.
- Fitness reports (FitReps) — Narrative record of field duty and deployment history.
An occupational history supports the in-service event or exposure element of a claim. It is not presumptive evidence, it does not diagnose anything, and it does not establish service connection on its own.
Why these claims get denied
Denial language tells you which element of the claim failed. These are the patterns that recur in decisions on 0341 claims.
Blast exposure noted, TBI claim denied for lack of clinical findings
VA may acknowledge repeated close-proximity mortar blast but deny a TBI claim when there is no current neurological or neuropsychological finding tied to it under the DC 8045 criteria.
Noise exposure conceded, hearing claim denied on nexus
An audiologist's opinion citing a normal separation audiogram is a common basis for denial, though a normal separation audiogram alone does not defeat a hearing claim.
No current diagnosis for a claimed joint
Chronic shoulder or back pain complaints without a diagnosed disability or functional-impairment evidence under Saunders v. Wilkie are commonly denied at the threshold.
Examiner discounts lay account due to sparse service treatment records
Mortarmen, like other infantry Marines, often did not seek treatment in the field. An opinion relying mainly on that silence, without addressing lay evidence, may be inadequate under Barr v. Nicholson.
Rating understates severity from a single exam snapshot
A grant may still understate severity when the exam does not account for flare-ups or repetitive-use loss under 38 CFR §§ 4.40, 4.45 and Correia v. McDonald.
Deployment documented, but claimed condition not linked to specific exposure
A combat deployment may be established while the claimed condition is neither presumptive nor supported by an opinion tying it to that exposure.
VA accepted my exposure but still denied me
This is the most common outcome for occupational claims: VA concedes what the job involved, then denies on the medical link, the current-diagnosis element, or the rating criteria. A decision review looks at which element the decision actually turned on and what evidence would address it. Oakridge Claims focuses primarily on post-decision representation — Higher-Level Reviews, Supplemental Claims, and Board appeals — and also accepts initial claims and claims for increase based on case fit and current availability, at no fee for initial-claim representation.*
*No fee is charged for representation before VA issues an initial decision. If representation continues after an initial decision, fees may apply to eligible post-decision representation under a written VA-compliant fee agreement. See Fees for details.
0341 claim questions
Does mortar blast exposure automatically prove I have a TBI?
No. Documented repeated close-proximity blast supports the in-service exposure element. A current diagnosis and a medical opinion connecting it to the exposure are still required.
Is mortar noise treated as worse than rifle noise by VA?
VA does not have a separate presumptive category by weapon type, but repeated close-proximity mortar blast is a recognized high-intensity exposure that can support a strong noise or blast argument.
I fired hundreds of mortar rounds in training but was never treated for headaches — can I still file?
Yes, you can file. Fire-mission and range records documenting the volume of exposure, along with your account of when symptoms began, are the kind of evidence that supports the claim.
Does carrying the mortar baseplate prove I hurt my back?
No. It documents a demanding duty consistent with back strain, but a current diagnosis and a nexus opinion are still needed.
I also stood security duty like a rifleman — does that count for combat stress exposure?
Yes. Your full range of duties, not just fire missions, can support a stressor statement if you experienced combat-contact events during those periods.
Can Reserve mortar training support a claim?
It can, depending on duty status. Injuries during active duty for training are generally treated more favorably than those during inactive duty for training.
What records best document mortarman-specific exposure?
Fire-mission and range records, weapons-company assignment orders, fitness reports describing mortar section duty, and hearing-conservation audiograms.
Related occupations
Sources
VA accepted my exposure but still denied me
This is the most common outcome for occupational claims: VA concedes what the job involved, then denies on the medical link, the current-diagnosis element, or the rating criteria. A decision review looks at which element the decision actually turned on and what evidence would address it. Oakridge Claims focuses primarily on post-decision representation — Higher-Level Reviews, Supplemental Claims, and Board appeals — and also accepts initial claims and claims for increase based on case fit and current availability, at no fee for initial-claim representation.*
*No fee is charged for representation before VA issues an initial decision. If representation continues after an initial decision, fees may apply to eligible post-decision representation under a written VA-compliant fee agreement. See Fees for details.