How VA helped Veteran reclaim his hearing and his life
A Navy veteran who lost nearly all his hearing after serving during Vietnam has regained his ability to communicate through a cochlear implant procedure provided by VA healthcare. Ed Romero, who served as a communications specialist from 1963 to 1965, experienced progressive hearing loss that eventually forced him to leave his public relations career and left him unable to participate in conversations, watch television, or hear his own grandchildren. His story illustrates how VA audiology services can restore quality of life for veterans facing severe hearing impairment when traditional hearing aids prove insufficient.
Hearing loss is one of the most common service-connected disabilities among veterans, particularly those exposed to loud noise from aircraft, weapons, machinery, or communications equipment during their military service. VA provides comprehensive audiology services to enrolled veterans, including hearing evaluations, hearing aids, and advanced interventions like cochlear implants for those with severe to profound hearing loss. These services are available through VA medical centers nationwide and are designed to address hearing damage that often worsens gradually over decades following military service.
This case specifically involved a veteran with profound hearing loss who had already tried conventional hearing aids without success. Romero's turning point came in 2013 at his son's wedding, where he encountered a VA audiologist who conducted an impromptu hearing check and directed him to his local VA medical center. Veterans eligible for VA healthcare who experience significant hearing loss, whether service-connected or not, can access audiology evaluations and treatment through their enrolled VA facility.
The cochlear implant procedure described in Romero's case was performed through VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, where Dr. Kerri Richter serves as a clinical specialist and cochlear implant audiologist. The VA's evaluation process includes assessing how veterans function with consistent hearing aid use, patient-reported outcome measures, and individualized goal-setting discussions. When Romero asked his surgeon whether he would be able to hear again, the answer was simply yes, and following activation of the implant, he reported being able to hear clearly and described the experience as having his life reborn.
For disabled veterans, hearing loss often compounds other service-connected conditions and can lead to social isolation, depression, and reduced independence. The availability of advanced interventions like cochlear implants through VA healthcare represents a significant benefit that many veterans may not realize exists within the system. Romero himself acknowledged not knowing sooner that VA could provide this level of care, which is why he has since joined a veteran advocacy group to inform others about available services. This highlights a persistent gap between the services VA offers and veterans' awareness of those options.
Veterans experiencing hearing loss should not assume their situation is permanent or that basic hearing aids represent the only solution. VA audiologists emphasize that multiple options exist for veterans whose hearing aids are not providing adequate benefit, and the clinical teams work individually with each veteran to determine the most appropriate intervention. The goal extends beyond simple hearing improvement to maintaining connections with family and friends and preserving overall quality of life.
If you are enrolled in VA healthcare and experiencing hearing loss, the practical next step is to request a hearing evaluation through your VA care team or primary care provider. Even if you have tried hearing aids in the past without success, VA audiology specialists can assess whether you might be a candidate for more advanced interventions. Veterans not currently enrolled in VA healthcare should explore their eligibility, as audiology services represent one of the system's most developed and accessible specialty care areas.