NEW! The Virtual Medical Library Hearing and Balance Specialty Guide is now live!
The virtual medical library Hearing and Balance Specialty Guide provides access to high-quality, evidence-based medical, nursing, and allied health information resources for Military Health System personnel. It is broken down into subtopics (i.e., NIHL, tinnitus, BA, APD, etc.) and each subtopic has information pertaining to various resources, books and articles, reports and presentations, and working groups.
The Defense Health Agency's Hearing Center of Excellence works to improve hearing and balance health.
Our Goals
- Improve hearing health
- Enhance operational performance
- Optimize readiness
- Enhance service members and veterans quality of life
We work with the Department of Veterans Affairs to achieve our goals in partnership with:
- Federal health care organizations
- Universities
- Public and private institutions
Congressional Mandate
The HCE was created by Congress through the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 to address military hearing injuries. This work includes:
- Prevention
- Diagnosis
- Mitigation
- Treatment
- Rehabilitation
- Research
Our primary focus and responsibilities include:
- Developing a data registry to track military hearing loss and auditory injuries
- Encouraging and facilitating hearing health research
- Developing best practices and clinical education
- Promoting and implementing hearing loss prevention strategies
Our Structure
We're a section of the DHA Medical Affairs Directorate. We're led by a branch chief and deputy branch chief. We have service audiology liaisons from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. They connect HCE to the field to address operational needs and problems.
Our Services
Clinicians and Technicians Resources
HCE Research and Collaboration
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Fact Sheet
Nov. 7, 2024
.PDF |
75.35 KB
The PTM Patient Workbook was published in 2010, and updates are needed. VA and DoD clinicians (from audiology and mental health) were interviewed to understand how to best update the PTM materials.
Fact Sheet
Nov. 7, 2024
.PDF |
109.92 KB
The PTM Clinician Handbook was published in 2010, and updates are needed. VA and
DoD audiologists and mental health providers were interviewed to understand how to
best update the PTM materials.
Fact Sheet
Nov. 7, 2024
.PDF |
124.73 KB
The DOEHRS-HC Tinnitus Question information sheet was created to educate and guide DoD Hearing Conservation Technicians about tinnitus and correct recording in the DOEHRS-HC system
Article
Oct. 24, 2024
While balance disorders can affect almost anyone, service members are at greater risk for certain types of inner ear damage that can affect balance.
Video
Sept. 30, 2024
Regulations now require hearing protector fit testing for all at-risk perpersonelonal. Watch to learn why.
Article
June 3, 2024
Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory Regional Hearing Conservation Program was selected as a 2024 Dr. Delores M. Etter Top Scientists and Engineers Team awardee on May 6, 2024.
Article
June 1, 2024
Vision and hearing heath are crucial to mission readiness and success, both on and off duty.
Clinical Practice Guideline
June 1, 2024
This CPG provides an evidence-based framework for evaluating and managing care for adults with bothersome tinnitus toward improving clinical outcomes.
Video
May 31, 2024
Fit testing is where we take measurements without hearing protection and then take measurements again with hearing protection to measure how much attenuation of noise the earplugs, earmuffs or ear protectors are actually providing.
Learn more about the Hearing Center of Excellence at health.mil/HCE
Video
May 31, 2024
This is how to properly use foam ear plugs or hearing protection.
1. Roll the ear plug
2. Hold you ear open while you insert the ear plug
3. wait for the foam to fully expand
Article
May 31, 2024
What you need to hear about the expanded hearing protection fit testing requirement.
Article
May 23, 2024
For U.S. Air Force Capt. Emily Lee and U.S. Air Force Capt. Jacqueline Anderson, life experiences highlighting the significance of being able to hear—one of the five senses many people may take for granted—led them to their current roles as audiologists at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.
Article
May 15, 2024
Hearing problems—such as hearing loss and tinnitus, a ringing or buzzing in the ears—are the leading conditions for service-connected disability compensation. To prevent these conditions, the military requires routine hearing readiness testing which has been limited by the use of specialized booths. To increase testing ability, military audiology ...
Article
March 22, 2024
Vision and hearing injuries can both be sustained due to traumatic brain injury, even mild TBI.
Video
March 14, 2024
Hearing Center of Excellence discusses the importance of conducting periodic hearing tests for our military personnel. Learn more at https://hearing.health.mil/
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Last Updated: May 22, 2026