Originally Posted by
Blossy
Surely virtually every member of the armed forces could claim as they all would have heard shooting.
Gentlefolk let me ask you - how do you think tank crews and artillery men would have responded to the question?
Blossy true the issue is proving it.
As aircrew had to undergo an annual medical their healthy was monitored more closely than non aircrew. As flying pay depended on maintenance of one's medical category aircrew did whatever they could to avoid the witch doctor. However once the inevitable occurred your condition was recorded, assessed, and monitored regularly.
I was naturally upset at being downgraded to A2. However on one particular sortie my colleague, ex-Shacks even, could hear chatter on one of the VHF Channels which no one else on the crew could hear. Volume controls worked most of the time but that proved I had significant hearing loss.
Noise damage applied not just to aircrew or engineers but to people near the aircraft noise. Workers near aircraft operations needed hearing protection too but never got it. I suspect many never knew they had noise induced hearing loss and were eligible for help.