The Army's Tactical Communication and Protective System (TCPS) May Replace The Ineffective 3M Combat Army Earplug

Army Earplug Lawsuit News

The Army is testing a new form of an electronic hearing protective device designed to protect a soldier's hearing from loud noises and simultaneously enhance whispered verbal commands

Tuesday, August 6, 2019 - According to the Veterans Benefits Administration Annual Benefits Report, hearing damage and tinnitus are the most predominant forms of service-related disabilities reported in the last decade. That fact is due primarily to soldiers relying on the fraudulently misrepresented dual-purpose, Combat Army Earplug manufactured and marketed to the military by 3M corporation. 3M took advantage of a combat soldier's need to hear battlefield commands and would mostly forgo ear protection all together if it meant not being able to hear each other's spoken voice. To put it bluntly, as a soldier often does, a little hearing loss is better than a bullet in the head. 3M Army Earplug lawyers helping military families and persons that suffered hearing loss due to the faulty Army Earplugs.

3M told the military that their dual-sided earplugs were short enough when worn on one side to allow normal communications to be heard and could be turned around to the longer side to block out louder noises like gunfire and explosions. The problem is that 9 out of 10 times the enemy strikes without a moments notice and a soldier do not have the time to make the switch. Switching out the earplugs from the shorter to the longer end also requires stopping, putting down a weapon, disconnecting communications devices, removing one's protective helmet and turning the earplug to the other side, a highly impractical operation during the heat of battle. Once accomplished the above process must be done in reverse. As a result, the vast majority if not all combat soldiers wore the dual-sided, 3M Combat Army Earplug in the shorter model that provides little if any hearing protection against loud noises.

Hearing-impaired military veterans from around the country are filing lawsuits against 3M for monetary compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Tinnitus is a constant 24/7 ringing in the ears that can drive its victims mad causing early-onset dementia and other psychological problems.

While the Army is concerned about the ongoing welfare of military veterans, the organization is constantly tasked with defending the interest of the country and was required to come up with a solution to faulty earplug problem. IN 2016, the Army deployed "Smart Earplugs that block out noises yet allow for verbal communications." The solution is not an earplug at all but a type of hearing aid called Tactical Communication and Protective System (TCPS) which is a combination of hearing aid and earplug designed to block out gunfire and explosive sounds while enhancing quieter tones. The "earplug" is designed to help a soldier to hear better, like a hearing aid. According to Tech Crunch.com, the army has ordered 20,000 units of the electronic device for testing at a cost of around $2000 each, and the device can be charged via solar, standard outlets and even vehicle batteries.

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