When Dave Pettifer was a Royal Marines commando, he fought in the jungle, endured the Arctic tundra and completed three tours of Afghanistan.
He faced many threats - but he never thought hearing loss would be one of them.
Mr Pettifer, a father-of-two from Oldbury, is among hundreds of soldiers in the UK taking legal action after allegedly being issued defective ear plugs during his service.
"Everyone I speak to in the military has some kind of hearing problem," the 47-year-old told the BBC.
"It's probably the most dangerous job in the world and you expect the people that employ you to send you off with the correct kit that's fit for purpose. It's a betrayal."
