Anyone familiar the pre-deployment medical screening for flying military contracts? I hold a Class 1 medical with no limitations but have some hearing loss that I'm concerned about. I understand they administer another hearing test at CRC. Anyone know how hard up they are about this sort of thing?

Hearing loss ought not to be an issue. They'll get a baseline, just so they can't get stuck paying for pre-existing noise induced hearing loss. But that's sort of standard in most industries with high noise exposures. As long as you have adequate hearing to use a headset they'll take you, they just don't want to have to pay for any noise induced hearing loss you already have. Don't worry. You will pass.

I'm assuming you actually aren't all THAT radioactive, of course.

Ha, thanks. The hearing loss is serious enough to concern me. Someone mentioned that if you fall outside certain thresholds it could create a problem. I'll keep this in mind and let you know the verdict in a few weeks.

I'm at 60% total loss of hearing and I made it the last two times without having to get a waiver.

Have you ever seen dudes fly with hearing aids in those jobs?

We have one currently. 72 years old. He's deaf as a ****ing doorknob. In reality it's actually kind of a problem but I'm sure you'll pass through CRC.

Headsets, particularly ANR headsets, generally work better than hearing AIDS. I've known guys that the only place they really could hear you well was on the radio or over the intercom.

My understanding is that doorknobs have very acute hearing.

Haha perhaps I've underestimated the mighty doorknob.

We are actually issued Lightspeed ANR headsets to use on my program... and I think this guy went and bought a Bose for some reason. Hasn't helped much unfortunately!

Hawkrider, PM sent.