R. L. Ermey: Lock and Load

[tmark]

I am enjoying the new series hosted by R. Lee Ermey on the History Channel. I saw two shows, the one with the chronological development of handguns and the chronology of tank development.

What disturbs me is that gunny, when firing these weapons or is with someone who is firing these weapons, sometimes wears eye protection, sometimes doesn't, and DOESN'T WEAR HEARING PROTECTION when he fired the handguns or the tanks or the cannons! I noticed the onsite owner/collectors always wore hearing protection, but old gunny did not with the handguns, tanks, or artillery pieces!

As a role model, he should be utilizing eye and ear protection, always.

He still seems to have optical acuity but I suspect he is experiencing audio degradation (mild to moderate hearing loss). I've read just being exposed to one gunshot without hearing protection is enough to damage the "hearing hairs" in our inner ear (cochlea).

Have other viewers of this program made similar observations?

Thomas

Information

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[Terry N.]

Yes, I frequently notice him with cartridge casings or cigarette butts in his ears. If nothing else, the producers should compel him to wear both eye and ear protection as an example to others.

[Sunray]

R. Lee Ermey is an actor. A 'gunny' he wasn't. Staff SGt.

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

the corps did make him an honorary gunney

[John Kepler]

FWIW, he shot the JCG at the Nationals last year a couple of Points down from me on Viale and was wearing the same flesh-tone custom-made ear-plugs I do. Just because you don't see muffs or have hunks of yellow sponge-rubber sticking out of his ears doesn't mean he isn't wearing VERY effective hearing protection!

[0311Shooter]

Let's not debase EVERY person who claims they won the Vietnam War. The Gunny is no Medal of Honor winner like John Kerry. But he DID SERVE his country more than a few months.

Here is a short bio of him...................


Full name: RONALD LEE ERMEY
Born: 24 March 1944, Emporia, Kansas, USA.
Service : United States Marine Corps 1961 - 1972
Rank: E-7 Honorary Gunnery Sergeant
Status: Retired



As a Golden Globe nominee and Boston Society of Film Critics Award-winner for Best Supporting Actor in director Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket (1987)", R. Lee Ermey is one of the most successful and talented actors working in film and television today.

His numerous roles in feature film include: "Switchback (1997)", starring opposite Dennis Quaid and Danny Glover, "Seven (1995)", "Leaving Las Vegas (1995)", "Murder In The First (1995)", "Life (1999)", "The Frighteners (1996)" and "Sommersby (1993)" as well as his critically acclaimed role opposite Jared Leto in "Prefontaine (1997)". He continues doing numerous voice over roles which span from "The Simpsons" to "Toy Story (1995)" and "Toy Story 2 (1999)".

Ermey spent eleven years in the Marine Corps, Two of which were spent as being a Drill Instructor at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, India Company 3rd Recruit Training Battalion 1965-67, Arrived in Vietnam in 1968 spending 14 months attached to Marine Wing Support Group 17 and 2 tours in Okinawa. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and was medically retired for injuries received. On May 17, 2002 he received an honorary promotion to Gunnery Sergeant (E-7) by Commandant James L. Jones, becoming the first retiree in the history of the Marines to be promoted. Using G.I. Bill benefits, Ermey enrolled at the University of Manila in the Philippines, where he studied drama. Francis Ford Coppola was filming "Apocalypse Now (1979)" in the area and cast Ermey in a featured role. He has since gone on to star or appear in approximately sixty films.

Ermey is no stranger to prestigious television either. He has starred in numerous telefilms including HBO’s "Weapons Of Mass Distraction (1997)", TNT’s "Rough Riders (1997)", and TNT’s "You Know My Name (1999)", starring Sam Elliot, as well as Showtime’s "The Apartment Complex (1999)".

Recently, Lee starred with Elizabeth Pena in the feature "On the Borderline (2001)". Just before that, Lee was in the feature film "Skipped Parts (2000)", with Jennifer Jason Leigh and Drew Barrymore. He also had a recurring role on FOX’s critically acclaimed "Action", starring Jay Mohr and Illeana Douglas.

Watch Lee each week on his NEW show, LOCK N' LOAD on History. Lee most recently starred in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)". Lee has appeared opposite Jeff Bridges in "Scenes of The Crime (2001)", Harvey Keitel in "Taking Sides (2001)" and Crispin Glover in "Willard (2003)".

[Kirk]

And, it looks like he shot a respectable 259-1 in the 2009 Garand Match last Saturday. http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/repor...rdID=2&alpha=Y

[Ken The Kanuck]

I funny it strange how quickly we are too savage our own. Perhaps we should be supporting and protecting one another.

Don't get me wrong I'm not suggesting that we blindly give every conservative a free pass for any crime they commit, but it would seem sometimes we go overboard critizing ourselves just to prove how noble we are.

Where the left and the anti's remind one of a cat in a litter box.

KTK

Ken, where did this come from??? Nobody has savaged anyone here. A very good point was brought up about the merits of hearing and eye protection and some information about the man. You turned it into a conservitive/left issue. I do not want to see this again.

[Bill Hollinger]

Lee is a great guy. A little hard of hearing as you might figure but a great guy. I also think he should wear hearing and eye protection on camera.

At the 2003 MVPA convention in Alameda, CA he and one of the shows producers, Rob Lehaney (spelling), had a History Channel display complete with the History Channel jeep that is owned by Rob. He kicked it with us most of the day while we showed him all the different military vehicles that were there. Very down to earth, very friendly. That is the hood of my jeep and my g503.com sign board he is autographing. He wanted to do the under side of my jeep hood but I said no thanks. I wish I would have let him do it now. My son Jeffrey is kneeling down next to Lee.

[Steven Martin]

If I remember correctly, Ermey was the helicopter pilot during the attack on the village so they could surf.