Ear protection in boot camp?

[Ala Dan]

Being a Fort Benning graduate (B-10-2) of the U.S. Army's Basic Training
Command in early January of 1966, I don't recall us being issued any kind'a
ear protection when shooting the M-14 7.62 NATO~!

 

[chuckles]

Carebear wrote:

Probably got to eat TWO mre's in that park across the street.

Nothing as good as MREs. Remember C-Rations? Ham & Eggs Chopped, Ham and Lima beans? Ones we had in RVN were dated early 50s. Nasty stuff there. The park was beautiful though, we could watch the Army doing close order drill and PT from where we lounged.
To the topic; AF basic 1965, M16s, NO HEARING PROTECTION.( I'm shouting because I can't hear myself talk anymore) AP Tech school after basic, qualified with the S&W Model 15. .38Special and the spent casings made decent earplugs. The AF never provided earplugs during my time in. 65-69.

 

[Sleeping Dog]

1966 Ft Bliss, TX. No ear protection, M14's were loud. I still remember my service number, but forgot the serial number of that M14.

Regards.

 

[Teufelhunden]

will hang from your bdu shirt in a neat little plastic container

...until that particular peice of decoration gets seen by a Gunny, who will

MCRD Parris Island, 1998. Yellow foam connected by a blue cord, again, sewn into the cover.

-Teuf

 

[No_Brakes23]

MCRD Parris Island, 1989. We had yellow foam earplugs. Our DI made us sew them into our cover with a long bit of thread, so we couldn't forget them. That was it. Yellow foamies.

We had to attach them to our covers in '96/97 at Edsen.

 

[DannoU]

Hearing WHAT, HA, YOU SAY SOMETHING!!!!!!????

U.S Army Air Defense Artillery - Fort Bliss, Texas - 1979 We were issued foamies in a black plastic cylindrical screw-cap type container w/chain. Your BEHIND was "pushin' down Texas"(unending pushups) if you lost 'em too.:banghead:

So, we saved a couple of cigerette butts from POLICE CALL for the hearing protection at the range.

The word was that the foamies were only used to knock down the top of the frequency bandwidth. Supposedly it would preserve your hearing, at least until you left the service.

 

[Ralph]

Ear Protection Wear It

I don't recall having earplugs in basic (1968) and I know I didn't have any when working in the vicinity of these pea shooters. LZ Sandy 26th Arty.
At night when you would think things would quiet down my ears ring awful. I've even reached to answer the phone and it's not ringing.

 

[Bullet Bob]

USAF basic at Lackland in 1970; damned if I remember whether we had hearing protection or not. I think we did, but I'm old enough now to remember anything, whether it happened or not.

I do remember thinking I didn't get to shoot full auto nearly enough!

 

[TrapdoorBilly]

Ft Polk, LA 1969, little rubber ear plugs in a plastic cyl with a screw on top. Don't think they did a whole lot of good.

 

[Carlos]

Very interesting replies. I'm shocked by the inconsistency.

In 74, I went into the Army and went to Basic at Fort Ord. We were issued orange rubber tri-baffle plugs in a little round container with a chain. I still have, and use, them regularly. I don't recall ever hearing ringing in my ears after shooting and using these, many different weapons.

Last Summer a fellow from another gun board sent me three sets of the new tri-baffles, this time in a square box. Gave a couple sets to friends.

I love em, and thank goodness don't have any hearing damage, that I can tell, at this point. I shoot a lot and rock and roll hard.

 

[Double Maduro]

Army, in the '60s.

No protection from M14's, M16's, M60's, 1911's, grenades or the 1/4 pound tnt charges on the infiltration course. Not as a trainee or instructor.

I have constant tintinnitis, sometimes worse than others.

The hearing in my right ear is slightly better than my left. I was taking care of a neighbors house over the holidays and noticed that when I set his alarm I could hear the beeping much longer with my right ear.

General high frequency hearing loss.

DM

 

[captdenden]

ear protection

Went to basic at Fort Leonard Wood in summer 1967, then to LPC and Infantry AIT at Fort Polk. Had little flesh colored round ear plugs in a cylindrical clear plastic container with chain at both places. The reason I know this, is I still have them. Then went on to travel all over the place for the Army and never went anywhere there was weapon training happenig where the troops didn' have the little plugs. refrad in 69

 

[Joey2]

Parris Island 1963, optional. The corpman had a box of cotton balls for those who wanted. Some used cigarette filters.

I retired in 1989 and still not manditory, but custom fit earplugs were manditory to have on your person.

 

[KC&97TA]

Well back in Aug of 1999 we were given the softy foamys, mandatory... most ranges are mandatory ear protection now. The tactical weapons shooting courses, under 50 meters eye protection is required as well, with flack and kevlar.

After returning from OIF 2 in September 04, I was given some crazy ear exam, were they preasureized and then vacumed and then pushed the button in the booth, after that I had to doe some repeating of words I heard. The lady at the naval hospital showed me the dramatic drop in the frequencey gap in my right ear consistent to a right handed shooter and the drops in both ears were explosive's cause damage. Preventative maintence on personel is a hot issue, keeps uncle sam from haveing to pay disability.