subject: The Battle For Improved Ear Protection [print this page] Hearing loss is a common problem among US soldiers in training because they don't wear protection against the noises in war. The Army cannot really provide precise figures.
An effort is being made to study the problem's magnitude. A hearing specialist reported that around 250,000 men each year suffer hearing loss so severe that they do not make it to the actual combat.
The estimate done by the army hospital's chief audiologist was based from a Fort Jackson study, in which it was discovered that many men lost their jobs because of hearing loss. A 113 rating in hearing loss is required for this kind of action.
A 113 rating in hearing loss was found to apply to more than half of the soldiers permanently assigned to Fort Jackson. A lesser loss of hearing, indicated by 112 rating, was found to apply to around 23.5 percent.
Army recruits should be given an ear plug fitted into each ear, said the surgeon general's office in 1963. No one followed this recommendation.
No fitting was done even if some were supplied with earplugs. It was discovered by Army hearing specialists that no effort is being made to make sure ear plugs are worn at the rifle ranges in Fort Dix, NJ.
The specialists added that use of ear plugs were discouraged by officials despite the adverse effects it may have on a person's hearing. The use of ear plugs is now being required by fort officials, thanks to the report issued by hearing specialists.
The men at the tank training school in Fort Knox accept partial deafness as a part of their lives. Having a blunt stick driven to your eardrum is what a soldier reported when he wore earplugs and a nearby cannon was fired.
The trainees and the instructors on the Fort Knox range were made to endure the pounding sounds of 832 rounds during a training session. 16 hours later, a reporter who was present could still hear the ringing in his ears. Wearing ear muffs is a protective measure recommended by experts.
Helicopter flight and ground crews also face hearing loss problems said the commander of the army aero medical research unit at Fort Rucker, Alaska. Screening noise is not something the helicopter helmet used by the Army does effectively. It is recommended that the Navy helmet be used in place of the Army helmet.
The Army believes that the helmet is not effective to protect against crash situations. So does the Canadian air force which supplies its jet pilots with the same helmet. He said that this helmet, costing around $118 should be the same headgear of the crews who ride tanks.
The ear plugs issued by the Army don't seem to be comfortable for soldiers. They show a preference for cigarette filters to use in their ears. These substitutes, though comfortable, are not effective protective gear.
