"In an urban environment, in vehicles, birds etc, I always wear ear pro as your vision is the primary sense you will use to locate the baddies, and without ear pro, you stand a good chance of being deaf after the explosion/MG's kick off anyway, so might as well have REDUCED hearing as opposed to NO hearing."
In Vehicles, and Birds, Most definately, you can wear ear pro, because you're not going to be hearing the enemy anyways. However, as soon as you get out, (right before, even) They need to come out. As far as an Urban environment, that is simply not true. 1) Night operations, we rely HEAVILY on stealth. NVG's are good, but not good enough to see someone who is laying on the ground, or behind a building, car, dumpster, etc. more then about 50 ft away.
2)Daytime missions, inside a house, it is MUCH more effective to listen for an enemy who may be moving around the house than to stick your head into a room and look for him. If you can see him, he can shoot you. If you hear him first, you can order him out, or if your ROE's allow it, you can frag or flashbang the room. Something you won't do if you don't have reasonable suspicion someone is in there. It's just a waste.
3) Try being a point man on a regular patrol, ANYWHERE, with ear plugs in. Can't hear someone telling you, "Hey, halt it up." That's not so bad, cuz you look back every now and then. Try being rear security after you're halted though. You don't look at the rest of the squad regardless. Your job is rear security. Second to last guy tells you when you're moving. Don't hear him? Get left behind.
I agree. I would rather have Less Hearing than no hearing, but I would much rather be deaf then be dead. Can't hear anything then, either.