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FIELD ARTILLERY

13B Cannon Crewmember

U.S. Army
Equivalent: 0811 (USMC Field Artillery Cannoneer)
The 13B Cannon Crewmember operates and maintains howitzers (M109A6 Paladin, M777, M119) and associated fire direction equipment. Duties include loading, aiming, and firing artillery rounds, ammunition handling, and position setup/teardown. Artillery crewmembers are exposed to some of the highest sustained noise levels in the military from repeated cannon fire, extreme concussive blast effects, heavy lifting of ammunition rounds (95+ lbs per M109 round), and chemical propellant exposure.
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS & PHYSICAL DEMANDS
-Repeated exposure to 170+ dB blast overpressure from howitzer firing
-Lifting artillery rounds weighing 33-95 lbs repeatedly during fire missions (hundreds of rounds per mission)
-Concussive blast effect on the body from each round fired at close proximity
-Chemical propellant exposure (propellant bags, bore cleaner, lubricants)
-Setting up and tearing down gun positions with heavy equipment in all conditions
-Vibration from M109 Paladin operations
-Deployment-related combat exposure (counter-battery fire, IEDs during movements)
-Extreme sleep deprivation during sustained fire missions (24-72 hour operations)
SERVICE-CONNECTED CONDITIONS (8 MAPPED)
TinnitusDC 6260
VERY HIGH
Typical Ratings: 10%
Howitzer fire at 170+ dB is among the loudest sustained noise exposure in the military. Even with hearing protection, each round causes damage. The 13B MOS alone is near-conclusive evidence of noise exposure.
38 C.F.R. 4.87, DC 6260
Hearing Loss (Bilateral)DC 6100
VERY HIGH
Typical Ratings: 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%
Same as tinnitus. 13Bs have among the highest hearing loss rates of any MOS. DD Form 2216 audiograms are critical evidence.
38 C.F.R. 4.85, DC 6100
Lumbar SpineDC 5237-5243
VERY HIGH
Typical Ratings: 10%, 20%, 40%
Repeatedly lifting 33-95 lb artillery rounds. Position setup with heavy equipment. Blast compression forces on the spine during firing.
38 C.F.R. 4.71a
Shoulder Condition (Bilateral)DC 5200-5203
HIGH
Typical Ratings: 10%, 20%
Overhead loading of rounds into the breech. Ammunition handling. Equipment lifting. Both shoulders affected.
38 C.F.R. 4.71a
TBIDC 8045
HIGH
Typical Ratings: 10%, 40%
Repeated blast overpressure from own weapon system. Emerging research shows cumulative sub-concussive blast exposure from artillery causes TBI-like symptoms even without a single acute event.
38 C.F.R. 4.124a, DC 8045
Knee ConditionDC 5003/5256-5263
HIGH
Typical Ratings: 10%, 20%
Heavy lifting in crouched positions. Position setup on uneven ground. Climbing on/off Paladin.
38 C.F.R. 4.71a
PTSDDC 9411
MODERATE-HIGH
Typical Ratings: 30%, 50%, 70%
Deployed 13Bs face counter-battery fire, IED threats during movements, and the knowledge that their fires cause casualties. Direct fire support missions create proximity to combat effects.
38 C.F.R. 3.304(f)(2)
Respiratory ConditionDC 6600-6699
MODERATE
Typical Ratings: 0%, 10%, 30%
Chemical propellant exposure, bore cleaner fumes, and burn pit exposure when deployed. PACT Act may apply.
38 C.F.R. 4.97
TYPICAL RATING CONSTELLATION
A 13B with 4+ years commonly has: tinnitus (10%), bilateral hearing loss (10-30%), lumbar spine (20%), bilateral shoulder (10% each), knee (10%), and possibly TBI (10-40%) and PTSD (30-50%). Combined: 60-90%.
KEY CLAIM TIP
13B hearing claims are nearly automatic. Your MOS duty description alone establishes 170+ dB noise exposure. If you have DD Form 2216 audiograms showing threshold shifts during service, your claim is extremely strong. Do not let the VA tell you hearing loss is 'normal aging' when your occupation was standing next to a howitzer.
RELATED MOS
13D13F13J0811
Secondary Conditions
450+ secondaries mapped
Calculate Your Rating
VA math + dollar impact
EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. NOT LEGAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
CLAIM RECON 2026