Spotlight!
Kadena Airmen test custom hearing protection to improve safety and communication
By
18th Wing Public Affairs June 29, 2026
Airman 1st Class Francisco Huerta
18th Wing Public Affairs June 29, 2026
(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Francisco Huerta)
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. John Foster, Department of the Air Force hearing conservation program manager, tests an attenuating custom communication earpiece system during a hearing conservation initiative at Kadena Air Base, Japan, May 14, 2026. The initiative evaluates custom hearing protection designed to improve communication in high-noise environments while helping prevent long-term hearing damage among maintainers.