3M’s Combat Arms Earplugs™ issued to millions of service members allegedly have a dangerous design defect that allows the user to be exposed to dangerous levels of sound that can cause hearing damage. As a result of the defective design, the Combat Arms Earplugs™ will subtly loosen while being worn. This loosening allowed dangerous levels of sound to enter the ear canal and cause hearing damage and loss. Of all the ongoing medical problems facing soldiers today, hearing loss is one of the largest issues. What’s worse is that the defense contractor who sold the earplugs to the US Department of Defense knew about the design defect and knowingly put millions of service members at risk for hearing loss.

The following represents wars and foreign conflicts between 2003 and present where service members were issued the Combat Arms Earplugs™: