Wear hearing protection at Veterans Day service

I have been several hundred feet from howitzers many times when they were fired, and I have hearing loss, and I do not hear some tones. I am guessing the loss came mostly from the howitzers.

The concussion was enough that when it hit me, it LOOKED and FELT like I DROPPED 6 inches. You can feel the concussion when they set off the explosion in the howitzer at the memorial, and that can cause hearing loss, especially in children.

Studies have found ONE LOUD NOISE CAN CAUSE HEARING LOSS IN YOUNG CHILDREN. Please wear hearing protection for the firing, and make sure your kids wear them too. Any teacher taking their class to the service should supply the kids with hearing protection.

You can get cheap foam-type ones that mold to your ears. Rub them in your hands until they are very pliable, then put them in your ears, AND YOUR KID’S EARS.

VIEW THE FIRING FROM THE PARK. Hearing the sound, and feeling the concussion is great, but to see the fire and smoke come out of the barrel, you need to be on the side of the howitzer. The park would be a great place to see this.

JOHN DICKEY

Smelterville