Do you believe we should be allowed to grow beards in a deployed environment?

If the local culture make the beard a significant aid in building relationships and mutual respect then I can see this. Assuming the NBC threat is very low. But to just grow a beard because it is cool does not make sense to me. There are many things we all want to do just because we cannot do them. It's natural to feel that way

Yes, Yes, and Yes. It stings a little inside seeing coalition forces with them. I can't help but stare a wish. I also think it would help morale

All kinds of good reasons for a combat beard, after all you can only grow that beautiful face armor if you eat some Kevlar.

The fact of having a sharp blade(s) near your face in a war zone could cause injury in a bad situation.

If the quality/abundance of water is tight dirty shaving could present poor baby face qualitys

my ability to spawn fur to my face is limited and if I had the time to practice I could be better prepared to wield such fury upon thy enemy!!

While sitting on a mountain side in Kunar Provence, the first thing on my mind was security. The next thing on my mind was shaving. Joking of course, shaving was the last thing on my mind!

I'm not opposed to a combat beard. How about a cold war beard? I mean, Cold war era vets could have used it as a morale boost.

What are the benefits, what are the detriments?

I currently wear what can be called a beard by only the kindest of individuals. It is actually just the lowest guard clippers ran over my face once a week so I don't really have to shave (with minor touch ups of a razor to appear like it's maintained). It's the rough equivalent of a "high reg." I go through 1 razor a month (as compared to a fresh one every other day).

So cost savings, water consumption, time savings, annoyance are my real advantages.

My disadvantages are looking like a Bradley Cooper wannabe, likely not getting a proper fit to a ProMask (N/A), ticking my wife off (always happening anyways), among others.

No, because beards contain particulate contaminants, including fecal matter. Yes, folks...poop beards.



http://nypost.com/2015/05/04/science-proves-that-beards-contain-fecal-matter/

The "Pros" are that when operating alongside certain LN forces, facial hair is simply "fitting in", and to some (admittedly difficult to measure) degree, represents simple expediency in the field. The "Cons" are the obvious breakdown in basic discipline and more importantly, the fuzzy line between "learning" from elite forces...and being a "wannabe" (IMHO).

In the old days, my dad always came home with a deployment beard and it wasn't a big deal. He retired in 1980.

Skipping over to 2016 and the way things are done now, and ignoring the fact that the ban is mostly a cleanliness (anti-lice) issue. If they allowed beards, the services would have to come up with approved beard styles and lengths and police said style policies the same way they police women's hair styles in uniform.

I really don't think you guys want to be called into an office to have your face hair measured, the style debated down to whether your sideburns must be separate from the beard, where the beard ends and at what point your neck must be shaved clean or whether you guys with facial hair that differs from your head hair color will be considered unsat due to lack of uniformity. When your face becomes micro managed to that degree, will having a beard still be considered worth it?

A combat ready soldier will never pass an inspection... We train to fight & win, in combat... We are warriors, & warriors rock manly combat beards (unless genetics prevent it).