How Veterans Are Conquering Hearing Loss

Bobby’s story:

U.S. Army portrait of Bobby Graves at basic combat training.

“My hearing loss is a direct result of serving as a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) 72G 30 Data Communications Center Specialist, where my work environment included destroying classified documents using large, loud machines and working with large mainframe computers daily.

“After departing from active duty, I noticed some trouble hearing while conversing with my spouse and others. As a veteran that has served my country faithfully, I was in immediate denial that I had a problem. When I entered the Reserves, although my work environment improved, the noise was still at dangerous levels. Later, working in a civilian job, several coworkers inquired about my understanding of conversations. Finally, at my wife’s urging, I submitted a claim to the Veterans Administration for potential hearing loss.

Bobby recovers after his cochlear implant surgery in 2024.

“I wore hearing aids in both ears for more than three decades, then received a cochlear implant in my right ear in 2024. During my treatment process, I received tremendous personal support from both the HLAA Virginia Beach Chapter and the Virginia Hearing Loss Support Network in Virginia Beach. In 2025, Thomas Blackman and I joined to establish the new HLAA Virginia Peninsula Chapter, assisted by Kenneth Reichert, membership coordinator of HLAA Virginia Beach, who continues to provide advice when needed.” (See the summer 2025 issue of Hearing Life magazine for more about this new chapter.)

Bobby’s advice for veterans with hearing loss: “If your car has a flat tire, you need a spare to finish your trip. If you have hearing loss, you need a hearing device. What are you waiting for? The journey of a joyful, exciting and rewarding life is ahead of you. Learn to advocate for yourself in situations where you find it hard to hear. On the phone, inform individuals that you have trouble hearing, especially those that speak too fast, have an accent or speak softly. Take advantage of the technology for hearing loss such as closed captioning features on mobile phones and other electronic devices. Let people know that if they walk in front of you are place their hands over the mouth, it is difficult to hear or understand their speech. Connect with a support group like HLAA and get involved.”

Ron’s story:

“I come from a family of six boys, who all served in the military in some capacity.  We all have hearing loss, although I am the only one with CIs. Neither of our parents had a hearing loss, so it’s likely not genetic. I was first diagnosed at my retirement physical from the U. S. Navy in January 1992. While assigned to the USS San Bernardino (LST-1189), I was the sound powered phone talker, standing next to the Captain, passing his orders to gun control. The 3” 50 Caliber gun turret was about 12 feet away and I wore no hearing protection.

Ron Tallman and his wife at his retirement ceremony in 1992 at the Naval Air Station, Barbers Point, HI.

“During my retirement physical in 1992, when the doctor told me I had a significant hearing loss in my left ear, I responded “I hear fine, doc.”  He said, “You do now, but as you get older your hearing loss will get worse.”  Four years later, I received my first set of hearing aids and began my hearing loss journey. I used bilateral hearing aids for 15 years until one day, I woke up and went out to make coffee and talk to the dogs. They always greeted me, but this morning, I could not hear them. I put in my hearing aids and still could not make out the sounds, so I woke up my wife to let her know.

“My audiologist advised me to see an ENT (otolaryngologist), who tested me at 7% speech understanding in a clinical setting. After an MRI and a balance test, I was deemed a candidate for CIs. My right side was implanted in December 2013 and the left side in July 2014.

A health care professional with Ron in the hospital, just before his first cochlear implant surgery in 2013.

“Cochlear implants gave me my life back—hearing my wife’s voice, having conversations with my kids, being independent again, making my own appointments, talking on the phone and being involved with HLAA. It’s not an easy journey, and at times I still fall back and ask, ‘why did this happen to me?’  Then I stop and thank the many friends I have made along the way. I know this journey will never end—but I am not alone.

“I joined HLAA just prior to receiving my first cochlear implant and attended my first HLAA Convention in St. Louis in 2015. What a profound experience! I have never seen so many people with CIs in my life. All these people were just like me and understood what I go through every day. All the sessions had hearing loops and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) captioning. If you have hearing loss, this is the place you need to be.”

Ron’s advice for veterans with hearing loss: “Hearing loss does not just affect you as an individual, it affects your family, friends and relatives, and it knows no boundaries. Technology today is just amazing for those of us with hearing loss.  We can talk on the phone, listen to music, attend Zoom meetings without complaining, go to movie or watch a movie on Netflix. Technology is boundless and it is only limited by what we do not know.”