Hearing Protection for GIs?

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txhoghunter

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So I have always wondered if American soldiers used hearing protection and if so, when it began?

If there is a better place for this thread, moderators, please move it.
 
Ear plugs are standard issue in the Army, though rarely used outside of a range. Hearing loss became such a problem they stopped giving disability for it.
 
Yes, we do use hearing protection. It's not always practical (stop the firefight so I can put my ear pro in!), but if we know we're going to be around loud noises we do wear it. The army has recently stopped covering hearing loss as a disability because hearing protection is available to soldiers and if we don't use it it's our own fault (that's a whole other discussion).
 
This question comes up from time to time and the answer is that more use hearing protection than in the past, but technology hasn't advanced to the point where all use it all the time.

Silicon plugs date to the early '60s and were preceded by moldable clay plugs. Foam plugs were developed in the late '60s.
 
Since when did they stop giving disability for it? My nephew just came back from Iraq this summer half deaf and had no problem getting it. A service-related disability is a service-related disability...
 
My father damaged his hearing so badly he now wears hearing aids in both ears and still can't hear anything. He gets new hearing aids every few years provided by the V.A.
 
My son just finished BCT and mentioned the "No disability for hearing loss" thing. I wondered if this was like the "There's a special dye in the pool water that will turn blue if you piss in the pool" myth.

Perhaps they are just trying to encourage use of hearing protection, and of course will pay all genuine disability claims.
 
Um, no, you can get it, but, YOU must document that you experienced a substantial trauma, and it's like this, they can bill you for your medical care if you do something that causes yourself harm, destruction of government property....

I do know of case where the command kept SGLI from paying out when a soldier died riding a motorcycle in violation of command policy (he wasn't wearing proper attire, including his helmet, and hadn't taken the military safety class, actually didn't even have a motorcycle endorsement)

You get hit by an IED, you probably have a claim, 4 years of shooting your rifle 1-2x a year, naw, not going to float.... Combat, it's kinda hard to claim a disability due to your own laziness, if your command makes it a policy to always wear ears.
 
Standard issue in the Navy. You are required to carry them in a case on your belt loop at all times on board ship. (at least this was the case up until I got out)
 
Heck, I'm in an office (AF) and I wear them quite often, the same type I use on my bikes (Howard Leight Max) because I sit under an obnoxiously loud air return.

Fortunately that is my one real complaint. I can tell you that at the range we've gotten the annoying yellow EAR plugs, the ones that aren't shaped, and are just yellow cylinders.
 
I think that no disability thing is a myth. People still get disability from tinnitus, which is in the same ballpark as hearing loss. I have a buddy that rates claims that I can ask if I think of it the next time we talk. Not only that, but there are times when you will be exposed to noise and it isn't practical to think that soldiers would be wearing ear pro - like VBIEDs or RPGs on a patrol base. Think some guy is going to wear that stuff when he is taking a crap or sleeping? You better think again. But, if you don't deploy, and work in an office, and don't wear ear pro at your yearly range, yeah, you probably won't get disability.

Back to the OP - yeah, we have it. I didn't hardly ever wear it the first time I was in Iraq, and only wore it in vehicles after that. Sorry, but the combat earplugs don't provide me with the ability to hear well that I want if we were out on a SKT or patrol or OP. The possible threat of some dudes walking up on us through a palm grove outweighs the benefit of wearing ear pro.

Why's one side black and one white?
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One is meant to be worn during training (more protection, less ability to hear) and one is meant to be worn during combat (less protection, more hearing). That side is yellow, BTW.
 
And yes, they did have issued ear protection back in the stone age (1968 when I went through basic), but it was a range only type of thing. I was told when discharged (1971) that I had a slight hearing loss but never followed up on it. That hearing loss was never confirmed, by the way, in all the physicals I had during a 22 year stint in law enforcement...
 
Standard issue in the Navy. You are required to carry them in a case on your belt loop at all times on board ship. (at least this was the case up until I got out)
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Still done. All hands are still required to carry hearing protection on their person (ear plugs) while onboard ship. The hearing conservation program is an active program in the Navy (OPNAVINST 5100.19E, Chapter B4)
 
You can still get the disability if you can prove how you got it. Aircrews on certain helicopters have no problem getting it. Wearing flight helmets, which have built in hearing protection, and ear plugs underneath, still isn't enough sometimes. Those things are loud and when you light up the 50 out the window, they get even louder.
 
The Marine Corps started issuing them to us around 95-96. I remember we all got our ears measured and were issued the ear plugs in the clearish, OD green little plastic box. The top of the box came off and served as a handle to cram them into your ears.
 
FLAvalanche said:
The Marine Corps started issuing them to us around 95-96. I remember we all got our ears measured and were issued the ear plugs in the clearish, OD green little plastic box. The top of the box came off and served as a handle to cram them into your ears.
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Funny, the same kind hang off my body armor right now. looks like nothing much has changed in the last few years
 
Postal, are you currently deployed? If so, how often, and under what circumstances do you use your ear plugs?
 
Yes, I am deployed right now. I don't wear earplugs very often. Desk Sergeants are sort of chained to a desk. So the body armor gets worn to my desk, then put beside it until I leave.
 
Oh okay, well best of luck to you and all of our servicemen and women around the world.

And to all current and former soldiers, thank you for your service
 
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