 Hearing is a soldier's most flexible sense. Think about it. Soldiers can hear around corners, through walls and floors, in darkness and despite bad weather. Good hearing is critical for situational awareness. Consider this. A soldier with normal or near normal hearing can detect someone walking through leaves or dry grass at a distance of 100 meters. But a soldier with a moderate hearing loss, such as an H2 profile, doesn't detect the same approach until the individual reaches 5.5 meters. And a soldier with a greater hearing loss, requiring an H3 profile, awareness is now reduced to 0.6 meters. Hearing loss is detrimental to the mission, but it does not need to end your career. If you suspect you have hearing loss, stay combat effective by taking action and getting help. The first move is yours.