Posted on Sep 2, 2020
Can I be forced to shave if I have a shaving profile?
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What’s up everybody I’m pv2 jones and I been in the army a little over 9 months, I love serving until it comes to shaving. I’ve tried everything and my face bumps up terrible man I’m talking about it looks disgusting, plenty of my Drill Sgts in AIT tried teaching me how to shave but it doesn’t work. So I just got to my new unit about 2 and a half months ago and I was still shaving even though it was painful and it looked Terrible, one day an NCO From another unit told me that I NEED to go get a shaving profile because my face just looks terrible and she can tell I was in pain so I promised her I will go get one and have them check it out . After my first appointment the dermatologist gave me a permanent shaving profile and told me that I don’t need to shave atleast until my bumps are clear. So a few weeks go by and I have a little beard (still in regulation 1/4 of an inch) so After pt my squad leader pulls me to The side and starts cursing me out at the top of his lungs saying I need to shave , I told him respectfully I have a shaving profile and it hurts for me to shave he stares at me and replied Under his breath “like every other black person in the army that can’t use razors” I didn’t say anything but it kind of hurt because I don’t want to be a odd ball in my company (I’m in a infantry company btw) so later that day we go into work to clean weapons and he calls me over and apologizes about this morning and I told him it was ok he then said that I need to shave still if I want to make it in the military and I replied and told him I’m not shaving so he can F’ing forget about it he then told me since I cursed him my punishment will be to shave or receive a article for disrespecting a NCO so later I went to my barracks room and shaved during lunch and came back in he then told me that no matter what my profile says I need to listen to him and shave I told my platoon sgt about this whole Situation and he told me I need to listen to my squad leader and shave because the army just gives shaving profiles to anyone. Is this right?
Platoon Sergeant
Platoon Leader
Commander
CCMSgt
NCO Academy
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 254
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It was not an issue with us. An alternate, such as shaving powder was allowed. If you have a no shaving profile from a Dr. that should not be challenged. https://dermnetnz.org/topics/folliculitis-barbae/#:~:text=Pseudofolliculitis%20barbae%20is%20a%20foreign,shaving%20rash%20or%20razor%20bumps.
DermNet provides Google Translate, a free machine translation service. Note that this may not provide an exact translation in all languages
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Let me know if you would like for me to contact your unit to get this situation handled.
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No it is not right. You should complain to your Sergeant Major, when you speak to him you tell him you have already spoke to the platoon sergeant, and you did not wish to go up the chain of command, because you feel this is enlisted business. I would also mention the racist comment made by your squad leader. If he retaliates, you then need to request, via the command chain, a transfer to another company.
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Hell no! Don't put up with any of the remarks you heard. Many black people are prone to bumps from shaving, need to use creams, or nothing! I must say though, that I have actually seen a private booted for not being able to shave, so figure out what you want to do quickly, or your life will be hell in the military! About the moron that said "Like every other black person in the Army," fight your impulse to smack him across his face (Then, you'd be wrong,) but tell him, the next time he makes any sort of reference to your color in a negative manner, you'll report the incident. This let's him know, that you just cut him some slack, but also, that you won't put up with that BS!
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Bully and disrespectful NCO's/Officers like that is why alot of younger people have told me they will not go into the Military.
But he made a racial slur and regardless of his apology, I'd complain about it. He sounds like a jerk with a capital "J". He obviously has no respect or concern for your medical condition. I've dealt with "ass hats" like that when I was in also. We would contact the chain of command, gather, and have meetings. One Platoon Sgt(E7) was removed for constantly making racial slurs towards any other race than his(he was black). Because of our actions in the correct manner he was relieved.
Anyway, I see this thread is four months old. I hope you somehow resolved the matter at hand.
But he made a racial slur and regardless of his apology, I'd complain about it. He sounds like a jerk with a capital "J". He obviously has no respect or concern for your medical condition. I've dealt with "ass hats" like that when I was in also. We would contact the chain of command, gather, and have meetings. One Platoon Sgt(E7) was removed for constantly making racial slurs towards any other race than his(he was black). Because of our actions in the correct manner he was relieved.
Anyway, I see this thread is four months old. I hope you somehow resolved the matter at hand.
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No, they don’t give one to anyone. There has to be a medical reason. I understand your NCOs point of view but that is an opinion and if he ain’t a Dermatologist he has no business getting involved. The NCO would be best served if he worked with you and the medical field to clear up your condition. You might be able to move to a different job???
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During my time in hte Army 1955 to 1975, if the Doctor gave a buck slip to not shave, no NCO or Officer could make you shave. In 1974 we had a black SP5 that got a buck slip to not shave due to ingrown hairs. He went to the barber for a haircut and a beard trim. The barber reported to me, (I was his First sergeant) and I spoke to him and orderd him to go back to the doctor. His bead was full of body lice. The doctor pulled the buck slip and told him he had to shave and treat the lice condition and then treat the ingrown hair problem. H never got another buck slip.
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I cannot speak for other branches but the Marine Corps has guidelines to accommodate for personnel with a “shave chit”. As long as you are within those guidelines set, you are within regulation.
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No, it's not right that your squad leader and platoon sgt treat you this way. They don't know the pain "bumps" can cause. The demonology clinic issued you a shaving waiver, they have to honor it. One of the shaving razor companies has a new razor blade out, that is designed to ease the pain of shaving with bumps. Check the BX/Commissary for those blades.
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