>>>>Have you bought any aircraft carriers or submarines lately?
>>>
>>>I asked JB for one of each for Christmas.
>>>
>>>He and I are exchange gifts at Buffalo Wild Wings next week.
>>>
>>>Pretty sure I can fit the howitzer I got him in their dining area, but not sure I'll be able to fit it through the front door.
>>
>>Go easy on the wings. Got to keep that new buff look.
>>
>>I had lunch today with a fellow vet who ran a howitzer unit in the army.
>>His hearing is worse than mine.
>
>Some Army doctors studying hearing loss told me in 1975 that I had what they called "infantry ear". They say it was left ear hearing loss in certain ranges in people who fired a lot of small arms right handed- irreversible and progressive. I don't know what their final findings were but in my case they were absolutely correct.
>When my brother took his discharge physical from the Army he applied for a disability because he had been standing next to a tank when it fired its' main gun and completely blew out one ear drum. VA - sorry no disability for that but we can give you one for the leg(that gives him no problems) that you broke playing company level softball. Go figure.

I don't know how long ago he applied, but he might want to try again.
The VA has been a lot more accommodating since the guys came back all messed from Afghanistan and Iraq.
My howitzer buddy was turned down a long time ago and re-applied a few years and was accepted.
I'm eligible because of some blasts in Korea.
We both get hearing aids from Uncle Sam and they're amazing.
Other VA medical care is pretty bad, so we don't use it.