An Evaluation Of Navy Enlisted Ratings Suspected To Be At Greatest Risk For Noise Induced Hearing Loss

The Naval Hospital, Great Lakes identified to the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) a problem of enlistees with existing hearing loss being assigned, or in some cases enlisting under contract to be assigned, to enlisted ratings where they would routinely be exposed to hazardous levels of noise. NAVHOSP Great Lakes correctly expressed concern that such assignment would create the potential for aggravation of the pre-existing hearing loss. NAVHOSP Great Lakes suggested that assignment of individuals with hearing loss to ratings that involve routine exposure to noise places these individuals at a greater risk for developing a communication handicapping hearing loss prior to the completion of a typical Navy career. The inadequacy of current assignment procedures was identified by a study conducted by their Occupational Health/Preventive Medicine Audiology Staff. This study screened hearing tests of approximately 35,000 recruits entering active duty at the Recruit Training Center, Great Lakes.