Posted on Jun 18, 2020
Can a Soldier be ordered to shave their mustache?
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I'm currently deployed and we are getting a visit from our Brigade Commander. We were told if we have mustaches, we must shave them. AR670-1 states (b) Facial hair. Males will keep their face clean-shaven when in uniform, or in civilian clothes on duty. Mustaches are permitted. If worn, males will keep mustaches neatly trimmed, tapered, and tidy. Mustaches will not present a chopped off or bushy appearance, and no portion of the mustache will cover the upper lip line, extend sideways beyond a vertical line drawn upward from the corners of the mouth (see lines C and D of fig 3–1), or extend above a parallel line at the lowest portion of the nose (see line B of fig 3–1). Handlebar mustaches, goatees, and beards are not authorized. If appropriate medical authority allows beard growth, the maximum length authorized for medical treatment must be specific. For example, “The length of the beard cannot exceed 1/4 inch” (see TB Med 287). Soldiers will keep the growth trimmed to the level specified by the appropriate medical authority, but are not authorized to shape the hair growth (examples include, but are not limited to, goatees, “Fu Manchu,” or handlebar mustaches). My understanding is mustaches are authorized so I don't understand them ordering them shaved. This is strictly for my knowledge. SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" LTC Stephen F. CPL Dave Hoover SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SSG (Join to see) Capt Dwayne Conyers CPT Jack Durish
Facial Hair
Army Regulations
Orders
Knowledge
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 34
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Pick your battles son, its just hair, it will grow back. Once your CO is on your ass it is forever, and so is your record which he will very quickly annotate...
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This just a little humor. When the Army firstcame out ad authorized the wearing of a mjustache, I was the 1SG of a unit on Okinawa. I had a yung troop walk in and had a little "peach fuzz" under his nose. I ask him what it was and he replied the Army said he could have a mustache, so I am growing one. I then asked him why he was cultivating something under his nose that grows wild around his ass. The poor kid ooked at me like I had lost my mind, walked out and to this day I have never seen him. I feel that it was th e wrong thing to say now, but at the time wasn't thinking.
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Sorry guys, I wasn’t ARMY but was fortunate enough to serve in the Air Force in the 70’s and 80’s. We were permitted to grow mustaches and even got some Robin Olds style slack cut to us at certain times of year such as “Mustache March”. For the most part no one messed with us as long as we kept them in the required neat and orderly fashion.
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Do you really want to piss your CoC off for something that you can grow back? Don't burn any bridges because of a mustache.
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SFC Stanley Nelson
Watch the BDE CDR come in sporting her new Pony Tail, telling you to shave your Mustache!
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I graduated from
Boot Camp on 29 Aug 1969 and ITR 25 Sept 1969 and reported to my first unit, Maint. Co., 5th Service Bn 5th Mar Div, Camp Pendelton. Since I had had a mustache prior to going into the Marines I had every intention of growing one as soon as possible until my Plt Sgt informed me that the Bn.CO was the ONLY Marine in the entire Bn. to have a mustache. I was smart enough, for once, not to fight "city hall" and waited till 3 Dec 1969 when I was released from active duty to go back to my Reserve Unit to start growing it again.
Boot Camp on 29 Aug 1969 and ITR 25 Sept 1969 and reported to my first unit, Maint. Co., 5th Service Bn 5th Mar Div, Camp Pendelton. Since I had had a mustache prior to going into the Marines I had every intention of growing one as soon as possible until my Plt Sgt informed me that the Bn.CO was the ONLY Marine in the entire Bn. to have a mustache. I was smart enough, for once, not to fight "city hall" and waited till 3 Dec 1969 when I was released from active duty to go back to my Reserve Unit to start growing it again.
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SFC (Join to see)
Just kidding. Go ahead and shave it. It’s not worth the hassle of fighting it and still losing.
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Never got into the facial hair thing and consider myself lucky that I can't even grow a full beard or mustache even if I wanted one, I haven't shaved in weeks and there's barely anything at all there, I have extremely little body hair but on my head? OMG, the stuff grows like a wind blown wildfire and I'm in no danger of going bald
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I don't see the big issue here.
There seems to be a recurring theme. Mustaches are permitted but it's not some kind of inherent right. Doesn't matter if you like it or not. A unit Commander has some discretion here. Shave it and go about your business. A lawful order is a lawful order. It'll grow back!
There seems to be a recurring theme. Mustaches are permitted but it's not some kind of inherent right. Doesn't matter if you like it or not. A unit Commander has some discretion here. Shave it and go about your business. A lawful order is a lawful order. It'll grow back!
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Keep in mind that while the regulation states XYZ, it tends to subject to interpretation by the one reading/quoting it and the one you're quoting it to. So be careful with that one and don't be surprised if your commander, first sergeant, platoon sergeant, or first-line tells you to shave it off.
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I had on several occasions, while as a CID Agent, both enlisted as a warrant officer, to order soldiers to shave to stand in lineups as “fillers”. All did and each earned CID Certificates of Achievement for “taking one for the team”.
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