Military hearing protection?

[spartanpride]

During times of war, whether it be The Second Great War, Vietnam, or in Iraq, what kind of hearing protection do they/you wear? I ask this because I've never heard of guys wearing any sort of ear protection during battle, and it sure seems like with all of those guns going off at once, sometimes in buildings, that you would go deaf in an instant.

 

[Mt Shooter]

Huh?

 

[LiveLife]

When I was in the service in the mid 80s, they issued us silicone orange ear plugs (they look like the picture below and were issued in green plastic container like the second picture below). They were made to provide protection while being able to hear loud voice commands. Once, I forgot to put them while firing the M60 in a concrete firing hole ... oh my ... I heard ringing in my ears and felt oozy for 10 hours. Yes, they do work.



Looks like they have improved the ear plugs since: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/army_ear_protection_090509w/

Current ear plugs - http://www.armyproperty.com/store/p.../6515-01-466-2710/?utm_source=google+products

 

[06]

Ear plugs are great if there is no one sneaking up on you and you need every sense you possess to stay alive. Certainly use them for training, stationary positions, etc. but not in tactical situations. My ears are ringing like crazy right now but am still alive(near retirement age).

 

[LRS_Ranger]

We got peltors...

 

[LiveLife]

Ear plugs are great if there is no one sneaking up on you and you need every sense you possess to stay alive. Certainly use them for training, stationary positions, etc. but not in tactical situations.

They do use them in combat - reason for all the yelling and shouting you see on videos.

 

[wishin]

Virtually unheard (no pun intended) of in the 50's -60's or in Vietnam on my shift.

 

[erichtmobile]

I rarely wore ear protection, unless I was firing a M240 at the range. I always had issues with them falling out( I can't keep ipod buds to stay in either). I was never in combat, so I can't speak to that. But in a training environment I never had an issue aside from mildly annoying ear ringing.....................I was 11M for those interested

 

[jcwit]

Was issued ear plugs during basic training at Fort Knox in spring of 1965. Had a round hard plastic container with a screw on top and short ball chain.

 

[Full Metal Jacket]

my dad told me there was no hearing protection during his years of service in the early 1960's.

 

[jobu07]

Hearing loss is a very real thing. Then again, the circumstances around the modern COIN battlefield (or any other battlefield) don't lend themselves to earpro very well. Typically, as was stated by 06, you need all of your senses about you. If you can't hear someone who is sneaking up on you you're dead. If you can't hear the conversations of civilians going on around you (once you've been around a culture long enough you can understand what people of a different tongue are saying without speaking it) you are lending yourself to be ambushed.

From an Infantry standpoint, the only people you'll find wearing any earpro will be vehicle crew members - Truck Commander, Driver, and Gunner. These individuals will have on a CVC or BOSE intercom system that goes over your kevlar and neutralizes exterior noise. I can say first hand the Bose system DOES work. However, dismounts in the back will rarely use plugs and no one on the ground that i've worked with has used them. Your hearing is just too valuable of a sense to handicap. Of course, if you are a guy like 06 and have been around it your whole career you'll be dealing with tinitus. Or you could be a guy who was exposed to only a few episodes of extreme noise and still have it mildly.

There are guys out there in the specialty units who get some cool high speed gear - but the line unit don't see it. What we do get is exactly what bds posted in his second picture. A green case about 2" x 2" with a slide open top. As a matter of fact those things are handed out like candy. I have a box full of them that audiology has given me.

 

[mljdeckard]

I grew up with the generation of guys who said hearing protection is for pansies. The thing is, they had no idea how loudly they were talking when they said it.

Now it is more or less impossible to get hearing loss disability. Their policy is; "You were issued hearing protection, if you didn't use it that's your fault, not ours." And yes, there are a few options now that allow you to hear regular sound just file while canceling out harmful levels of noise.

After a tour as a tank crewman, as well as MANY rock concerts, I still have exceptional hearing. I have been lucky, but I always use protection, I double up when I can.

 

[coolcloo1019]

My Grandfather who is nearing 90 years old, was in WWII and can't hear a lick, even with his hearing aids in you have to yell at him. There was no hearing protection in combat.

 

[leadcounsel]

Can't speak for combat of yesteryear, but foam inserts or the advanced inserts are quite common - and in fact often mandatory. In garrison they are mandatory at ranges, flightlines, etc. In theater they are encouraged and often mandatory, depending on the unit and supervision. I brought my own set of Peltors and wore them. Many units also have peltors linked into their communication systems in vehicles. Bottom line is that you are a fool to not protect your hearing. Losing your hearing in a firefight or IED means that you have become a casualty and may hinder the defense if you cannot hear what's going on around you. Shoot, move and COMMUNICATE... All this talk about needing to be hearing people "sneaking up on you" is nonsense. Most people get attacked by loud gunfire, which is then returned with louder gunfire, or a big ear shattering explosion next to your vehicle.

 

[Shweboner]

I imagine that empty brass would do well.

When Ive hit the range to find my earplugs had been left behind, I fire off 2 9mm rounds and stick the cases in my ears... works great.

 

[Full Metal Jacket]

that's what R. Lee Ermey does.

 

[Maj Dad]

Started basic at Ft Polk in Jun 67; we had ear plugs issued to us (in the round plastic container jcwit mentioned) but were not fitted, and usually fit poorly. Mine were nuisances and didn't work well at all, consequently, I now have sensorineural hearing loss along with the tinnitus (ringing in the ears). We always had to have them in training, but it was strictly for "the book", as in "by the book." After BCT & AIT, no one really cared. Things have changed for the better, and the AF does custom fitting in the Public Health flight; I presume the Army is less individualized, but the Combat Arms Ear Plugs bds posted look effective. On the plus side, the VA will give me some super German hearing aids that cost around $3000; on the minus, it gets old being unable to understand conversations in a room with several people talking and all the background noise. I hope our current service members fare better.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Bottom line is that you are a fool to not protect your hearing. Losing your hearing in a firefight or IED means that you have become a casualty and may hinder the defense if you cannot hear what's going on around you. Shoot, move and COMMUNICATE... All this talk about needing to be hearing people "sneaking up on you" is nonsense. Most people get attacked by loud gunfire, which is then returned with louder gunfire, or a big ear shattering explosion next to your vehicle.

QFT.

This is not Vietnam or some clandestine operation where you're sneaking through the jungle or trying to listen for people sneaking up on you. The combat of today in the Middle East is usually going to be vehicle mounted, reacting to ambushes or IEDs, and possible dismounts for building clearing. There is no sneaking around; not you and not the enemy. In my case, Military Police only roll with 3 man trucks, and the team leader/truck commander is also the dismount. A lot of times, you just leave your headset on and disconnect it from the vehicle coms. Or you bring the Harris radio portable with you for unit coms. But in both cases, your headset stays on. We use a lot of shouting. Stealth and sneakyness is pretty much irrelevant. When a vehicle gets hit with an IED and the hajjis open up with an ambush, there isn't much to hear anyways except for radio coms. And if you're the guy who trying to hook up a tow strap to a busted vehicle with 4 .50cals rocking all around you, you're gonna be glad you had some earpro in. Even when clearing buildings, we shout commands and information to each other. The hajjis already know we're there. The HMMWV columns that rolled up outside the building kinda give it away. Communication is absolutely necessary. Stealth, not so much. And wearing hearing protection whether in the form of foam/rubber inserts or a sound insulated com headset, is a big help.

 

[LRS_Ranger]

I imagine that empty brass would do well.
When Ive hit the range to find my earplugs had been left behind, I fire off 2 9mm rounds and stick the cases in my ears... works great.

Holy cow! I gotta try that one..

 

[spartanpride]

Sorry for the crappily worded question.
Anyway thanks for the replies folks!

 

[BullfrogKen]

We got the yellow foamies. They worked OK.


One Sergeant in my platoon in Cuba was a real gun guy and shooter. He had his own set of muffs. Never saw anyone else out in the Fleet with a set besides him.


We didn't focus on eye protection much then. Now I see much more of a focus on "eyes and ears" in the military - eye and ear protection.


My ears ring constantly, and I have some hearing loss. Not much, but enough. 0331 - Infantry, Heavy machinegunner.

 

[Sunray]

"...reason for all the yelling and shouting you see on videos..." That isn't because of wearing hearing protection. Fear and the noise causes it.
"...Sorry for the..." Not even a little.
No hearing protection was used in battle during W.W. II. Not even by the arty types.
Empty cases don't do much to protect your hearing.

 

[LiveLife]

When Ive hit the range to find my earplugs had been left behind, I fire off 2 9mm rounds and stick the cases in my ears... works great.

Haven't thought about using spent 9mm casings. I have always used live 9mm FMJ rounds in earlier days of shooting. Now I always wear proper ear protection when shooting, and still use 9mm rounds when none is available.

 

[RS14]

No hearing protection was used in battle during W.W. II. Not even by the arty types.

I've found a 1946 study by one Harvey Patt about the hearing of artillerymen and rifle coaches. I've requested the full text from my college library, but in the meantime, Google provides a small snippet. In particular, "Eighty-four per cent of artillerymen and 65 per cent of rifle coaches reported the use of cotton during exposure to gunfire."

Now, I wouldn't want to be firing artillery with nothing but cotton in my ears, but this suggests that they were generally using something.

 

[KellyTTE]

The Peltor CAE plugs have been superseded by a Gen II design:

They have a tiny door that can be opened for more hearing sensitivity. They work really well.