[Kdub]

I have often wondered this as well. I've heard in an intense adrenaline charged situation your body will actually shut down got hearing to where you don't hear the loud noises ie a self defense situtation. I would assume over the length of conflict in war time however it takes its toll.

[seanwhite75154]

I have had a lot of hearing loss. I believe it has more to do with the extended periods of time around loud vehicles and generators than it does to gun fights. I am an 11B with three deployments and prior to my military service I had no hearing loss. Now every time I take a hearing test my right ear shows more loss. My advice is get a good pair pelican comtac 2 head sets and wear them every time u leave the wire.

[kytowboater]

I'm 23, and barely passed a hearing test for
My job. Blame Loud diesels, raging sound systems, chain saws and straight piped v8's.

[7point62]

Originally Posted by Ranger-6

I have been out of the service for 40 years, and my ears have been ringing and deteriorating ever since. Right ear hearing just about gone, left ear close behind. Bombs, bullets, and grenades destroy ear-drums. In a firefight there is no time for earplug insertion, it time for death, yours or theirs. Choose wisely.

There it is. And (for those of us who fought prior to Pelican Comtac 2 headsets ) not only was there no time but in the noise of contact some communication beyond hand signals is usually necessary, regarding target location, casualties or some other kinetic issue.

There's an adrenal effect on the senses when your neurotransmitters start going apesh*t...vision, sense of smell, even hearing becomes extremely acute, the body's way of compensating for and adjusting to the threat of "death, yours or theirs." And that may explain to the OP why ear protection isn't necessary or advisable in combat even though the noise contributes to your future deafness.

If there is an upside, it gives you an excuse for "tuning out."

[PanBaccha]

Originally Posted by beastmode986

I always wondered, do you vet's have bad hearing from serving? I never knew weather or not you guys have earplugs in during firefights or do you just deal with the loud noise?

Veterans and hard rock fans of the sixties do have audible problems. M16's and the Rolling Stones still ringing in my ears.

[Vikingdad]

Originally Posted by beastmode986

I want to join in a few years so I was wondering. I wonder if they have an ear plug verison of these somewhere
http://www.meijer.com/s/pro-ears-pro-300-electronic-hearing-protection-headphones/_/R-169750;jsessionid=AE11C952A54844898618F6729AF7DD3F ?cagpspn=pla&cmpid=Google_G_US_Meijer_eCom_PLA_Spo rting_Goods

put em on before you go out and then you can hear orders and not damage your ears. when i first went shooting I did not use protection for the .22 pistol or rifle but later on i hear a minor ringing. Thats one of the things that worries me is loss of hearing.

Edit: quick Google search showed me these http://www.earplugstore.com/etymotic-gsp-1-electronic-earplugs.html

In addition to the issue of putting the hearing protection on in the first place, there is the issue of battery replacement. The military runs a lot of stuff on batteries and having yet another thing you have to carry batteries for might be a problem. On the same note, those in-the-ear electronic plugs probably use hearing aid batteries which are not only very, very small (but lightweight!) they do not last that long. Ask anyone who wears hearing aids how often they have to change batteries.

[silverado113]

WHAT DID THAT KID SAY? Yep and ringing in the ears all the time is fun too.

[danf_fl]

That is the reason I changed the ring tones of our phones.

But it is not just veterans. Check out a bunch of old hunters. Most are deaf or going deaf.

[tonydewar]

a veteran will always have hearing loss its good for up to 20% disability! mine has to from working on large recep aircraft back in the 70s aint got nothing to do with getting old

[WebleyFosbery38]

Most used earplugs in the army in the 80's, Cigarette butts!