I want to know if anyone knows what the chances are that my boyfriend will deploy or not...or if anyone knows what happens with these hearing tests.....here's my story:
Before his first deployment to iraq, his hearing was NOT good, he failed his first test and he was suppose to go back to the ear doctor for a 2nd test but the lady giving him the test didn't even DO the paperwork! (Which the lady who gave him the ear test this month told him he should have never been deployed in the 1st place! & that she was an idiot!) So now hes deploying again this month, BUT he took his hearing test and FAILED it of course, after a yr of being in iraq. The lady said his hearing has gotten worse & hes scheduled to go back for a 2nd test from the ear doc next week. This determines whether he leaves or not. I'm so stressed yet hopeful that he will fail, he thinks he's going to because he knows his hearing has gotten worse, he speaks louder than he used to, & he hears ringing sometimes.
2007-09-28 05:44:35 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
That's really kind of a tough call. The military will send him if they deem in necessary. If his hearing loss doesn't directly affect him doing his job, then it is very possible they will send him even with the poor hearing. They changed my husband's med. status from non-deployable to deployable when his unit was going over there. His medical problem didn't directly affect his job (infantry), so they just did what they had to do to put his boots on the ground over there. It is completely at their own discretion. Best of luck to you two!
2007-09-28 05:52:07 · answer #1 · answered by Amy B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He can be retained on active duty with a hearing aid. But, he needs to be evaluated by way of the Speech Recognition in Noise Test (SPRINT). If he fails to adapt with the use of hearing aids, he will be referred to a medical board which will send his case to the physical evaluation board for a determination of disability rating. If he accepts those findings he will be separated with severance pay (less than 30% disability) or be retired for medical reasons (30% disability or higher). The frst source below is for the SPRINT evaluation. The second is the medical standard for hearing loss if hearing aids don't work.
I'm a retired Navy Medical Department officer with 12 years experience in disability evaluation procedures.
2007-09-28 07:44:13 · answer #2 · answered by desertviking_00 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It will all depend on the the doctors. I have been to three different doctors about problems that I have and each one thinks something different. Your husband will need to push for what he wants. It is very possible that if he wants to stay in the military that they can give him a permanent profile for his hearing. This can possibly keep him from deploying, but again, it all depends on the doctors and how much your husband pushes for what he wants.
2007-09-28 05:50:59 · answer #3 · answered by James W 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i feel for you as i a family member of mine who was injured during training has been getting the run around from army doctors for months now. sorry to say that i am not surprised they failed him and he still got sent to iraq. the army is desperate for soldiers and their recruiting stats are very low so they are and have been returning injured recruits to duty. i would suggest contacting your congressman, senator and the inspector general of the army and his base if he is not discharged because of his disability. not being able to hear in the heat of battle or if on patrol could be deadly as you have no doubt imagined. one thing though prepare yourself and him for a long drawn out proces for getting discharged for medical reasons. the army doesn't like to pay disability and will do whatever including ignoring his injury if they need to. a family member had two fractures of the leg and the army although taking xrays and telling him they were there now says they aren't or since it's been 4 months since the injury with not treatment healed so they sent him back to duty. he was injured in may sent to the medcial program since early july and still has gotten no treatment, he's been recommended for discharge twice then it revoked, then for medcial board then it revoked. and the medical on army bases is the very worst. just do a web search for 'army medical abuses' and you'll see how many bases have been investigated just over the last few years. i really would sugges to documenting every converstion with superiors and taking down names, if your bf can somehow get copies of his medical records do have him do that too and send them to you for safe keeping. one other thing if he wants help he will really have to push hard for it, since you are only his gf you really have no rights in this, only his immediate family or wife could do anything. good luck
2007-09-28 08:11:39 · answer #4 · answered by ?! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋