Skill Badges
Certain military activities are hard on the body and result in the award of a skill badge for your trouble. These pieces of shiny chest candy can be the key in helping your Claim for Service-connection go through!
Parachutist Badge AKA Jump Wings
The most widely recognized activity for messing up your Joints, is jumping out of PERFECTLY GOOD AIRPLANES! Completing jump school will result in award of the Parachutist Badge AKA, Jump Wings.
It has been Well established that joint issues can be linked back to these jumps. As such, even if you toughed it out and never went to sick call for busting your knees on a landing, etc. The VA can use the fact you have this skill badge as a basis to get a Medical opinion.
The badge itself comes several levels (Air Force/Army): Basic, Senior, Master. With doing more jumps being one of the criteria used to award the higher tiers.
Proving Yourself
Depending on your branch’s record keeping, proving you jumped… can be difficult. But the following can be used as evidence to show you were awarded it/jumped out of planes.
Having the Parachutist Badge on your DD-214
Army MOS Special Qualification Identifier of P
So if someone’s MOS was Infantryman (11B) and they were an E4 it would show as 11B1P
Air force MOS of Pararescuemen
Receipt of hazardous duty pay (parachute duty pay)
Individual Jump Record (DA Form 1307)
Orders awarding Parachutist Badge
Other Skill Badges
The branches offer various skill badges, each potentially causing increased wear and tear on your body parts. As such, if you can explain HOW the skill(s) you preformed caused something, do it!
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Do NOT assume the VA knows or understands the hardships of military service and as such, HELP THEM HELP YOU!
If say the skills used earning your Air Assault Badge caused your right Shoulder joint issue then go for it! Just be sure to explain the connection!