# Does the military use ear protection on missions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 24, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-military-use-ear-protection-on-missions/565261 "2010-12-24T05:49:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-military-use-ear-protection-on-missions/565261/21 "2010-12-28T22:29:56Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#): > > I got something similar to that for about $1. Where? That is really cheap for Combat Arms Earplugs. Are you sure you were looking at CAEPs? Or are you just talking about disposable triple flange ear plugs? ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-military-use-ear-protection-on-missions/565261/22 "2010-12-29T12:48:21Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Spoken like a true wuss.😉 It’s a fair cop. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-military-use-ear-protection-on-missions/565261/23 "2010-12-29T15:22:43Z")
I have heard a great deal of unprotected gunfire over the years and always thought that my hearing must have suffered. But on a medical my hearing was described as uncannily good. (Should say eerily I suppose…) The reason that I and my colleagues didn’t wear hearing protection was nothing to do with Macho B. S. but because we always wanted to be aware of what was going on around us even when things seemed quiet. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-military-use-ear-protection-on-missions/565261/24 "2010-12-29T15:36:31Z")
I would think the best type of earplug would be the electronic kind that allow normal speech and sounds to be heard while only blocking loud sounds like gunshots. I’ve seen several gys use these at the range. But I think they have to be personally fitted and are somewhat expensive. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-military-use-ear-protection-on-missions/565261/25 "2010-12-29T15:57:07Z")
I’d occasionally go to the range and forget to put my ear plugs in. As soon as I fired the first round, I remembered…quite abruptly. I didn’t care if targets were popping up or not. I put my rifle down and put the plugs in. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-military-use-ear-protection-on-missions/565261/26 "2010-12-29T16:17:22Z")
In the Air Force, I was issued disposable ear plugs for use on the flight line or while flying. Generally didn’t bother with them. Wish I had. Think I lost part of the upper range of my hearing due to the high pitched whine of F-16 engines… ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-military-use-ear-protection-on-missions/565261/27 "2010-12-29T22:15:51Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > Where? That is really cheap for Combat Arms Earplugs. Are you sure you were looking at CAEPs? Or are you just talking about disposable triple flange ear plugs? Cheapos. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-military-use-ear-protection-on-missions/565261/28 "2010-12-30T01:56:16Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > I think adrenaline naturally attenuates the noise you are hearing as well. Something about stiffening the receptors in the ear or something. Not exactly. There are muscles in the ear that put tension on the stapes and malleus to dampen the vibration, the [tensor tympani](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensor_tympani#Function) and the [stapedius](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stapedius#Function). Of course, just from reading through this thread you should find it abundantly evident that these muscle reflexes are not a substitute for proper hearing protection. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-military-use-ear-protection-on-missions/565261.md?page=1)