Can you be hard of hearing and join the military?

Can you be hard of hearing and join the military?

Deaf people can’t enlist in the military because they aren’t able to pass the physical requirement of being able to hear beyond a certain threshold. Ultimately, the program will help determine how to place qualified deaf Americans into the most appropriate settings and occupations.

Can you get kicked out of the military for hearing loss?

Since hearing damage affects the safety of military personnel and others around them, troops can be discharged from the military or forced to re-class into different job specialty, away from loud noises that cannot further damage the servicemember’s hearing.

Is wearing hearing aids considered a disability?

Hearing aids and disability There are some certain hearing aid tests that you will have to undergo, as well as certain thresholds to meet, in order to qualify and prove your hearing loss. However, the act of wearing a hearing aid in and of itself is not classed by the ADA or social security as a disability itself.

Can you join the military if you have cochlear implants?

As we all know that any history of using hearing aids or cochlear implants is an automatic disqualification from enlisting in the 6 branches of the United States Military.

How much does the military pay for hearing loss?

VA Disability Rating: Depends on severity. Loss of both ears=50\%. Loss of one ear, 30\%. “Deformity” and/or partial loss may be compensated at 10\% depending on circumstances.

Can you fire someone for being deaf?

In documentation on questions regarding deafness and hearing impairments, the EEOC noted that an employer may fire a hearing-impaired worker for safety reasons when the worker poses a significant risk of substantial self-harm or harm to others that cannot be eliminated or reduced through reasonable accommodation.

How many years do hearing aids last?

Hearing aids can last anywhere from three years to seven — for some people, even longer. Variables affecting this lifespan include how well the instrument is built, how well it’s maintained, and how much wear and tear it experiences being worn in your ear for many hours a day.

Do soldiers get tinnitus?

Due to the loud noises that accompany a career in the military, our veterans are at a higher risk for developing tinnitus due to excessive noise exposure. According to the U.S. Departments of Veteran Affairs tinnitus is the most common disability among service men/women. Tinnitus is the hidden enemy of the military.

What should you not do before a hearing test?

Don’t expose yourself to loud noise before the exam Your audiologist can only test your hearing in its current condition. Therefore, exposing yourself to unnecessarily loud noises in the 48 hours leading up to the hearing test is a bad idea as it could influence the results.

Can you join the military if you are deaf or hard of hearing?

For those hard of hearing or deaf, the requirement that could keep you from joining the military falls under the medical category. If you meet all other requirements, this could be the one that keeps you from joining the branch of the military you prefer. The hearing requirements for military service are pretty straight-forward.

Are there any hearing aids available for military retirees?

The hearing aids available through this program are the same state-of-the art technologies available to active duty service members. The program is open to all military retirees who have hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Dependents of military retirees are not eligible for this program.

How do I get a hearing aid from the VA?

The Audiology Department can provide you with more information about VA services or you may contact the VA directly at 877-222-8387 or 800-827-1000, (TDD 711). Dependents of retirees are not eligible for hearing aid services from military treatment facilities (including RACHAP) or from TRICARE.

Can you pass a military physical exam with hearing loss?

However, the military standards for hearing are not extremely selective which means you still might pass the physical exam with some hearing loss. All you need is normal hearing levels that prove you don’t need to read lips, utilize a hearing aid, or speak through sign language. The current military standards for all branches mandate the following: