Posted on Jan 22, 2014

New grooming standards approved by the DOD

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I wonder how this may effect regulations.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/22/pentagon-relaxing-rules-on-religious-clothing-facial-hair/

Pentagon relaxes rules on religious apparel, facial hair

The Pentagon is planning to relax its rules governing the religious clothing, facial hair and hairstyles that troops can wear while in uniform, a senior Defense official told Fox News.

Posted in these groups: 4276e14c

Uniforms

Grooming Standards 3481d851

Facial Hair

Posted 12 y ago

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Responses: 56

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SFC (Join to see)

Posted 12 y ago

In all honesty the only gripe I have about it is if my
tattoos below my elbow and my side burns above the bottom of my lobe cause me
to look unprofessional how is having a beard and turban going to make them “fit”
in and be a team with everyone else trying to look like a Soldier with a
profession of arms? I really don’t care if they are allowed to grow a beard or
wear a turban. The Jewish faith is only allowed to wear a Yakima during
specific Jewish holidays why does no one have any issue with that?

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MAJ Joseph Parker

12 y

SFC Micheal A: Not nitpicking. Just having some fun and yanking your snap-link a little bit!

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SGT Richard H.

>1 y

MAJ Joseph Parker I'm not nitpicking either, but I've been to YFC a few times....It's really not that dear.

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MAJ Joseph Parker

>1 y

SGT Hanner: As I mentioned, I was yanking SFC Angel's snap link a bit on his spelling. However, YFC (as you have been there) has many positive attributes: 1: One could debate that it is marginally better than the NTC when it comes to dust. 2. Have to get back to you on the rest...

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SGT Richard H.

>1 y

Yes sir...Just yanking yours a bit as well ;-)

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SFC Armando Munoz

Posted 12 y ago

This is driven from the top. Another part to destroy our military forces and the top brass does not have the balls to say no because they do not want to be fired by the President.

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MAJ Joseph Parker

12 y

SFC Munoz; you are being sexist. You may imply that the Chain of Command lacks moral courage, but not that it lacks male reproductive organs. Our female flag officers may take offense (oddly enough, even though that is true). Otherwise, your observation is a good one. However, ponder this: How many staff officers and thousands of hours of staffing went into this study before a decision was made? Fortunately, there have been no other pressing issues in the Pentagon the past year or so.

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SSG V. Michelle Woods

12 y

Sir, you are so funny!!! Gosh I wish the higher ups would read this and see how ridiculous things have become! <div><br></div><div>(Before anyone gets all uptight, MAJ Parker was using comical sarcasm to point out how overly PC the military is.)</div>

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SGT (Join to see)

Posted >1 y ago

But where is the line?
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/22/22376938-pentagon-to-relax-rules-on-personal-religious-wear-including-beards-turbans
According to the article, the military will seek to accommodate any "sincerely" held religious belief. So if I believe (sincerely) that my god is Bear Bryant and He requires me to wear an Alabama football jersey, can I?
Why not just throw out the uniform altogether and wear what we want? You know why? Because this guy...

Pentagon to relax rules on personal religious wear — including beards, turbans

The Pentagon on Wednesday is expected to announce widespread changes to rules governing religious items and religion-based physical attributes that service members can maintain while in uniform — including beards, some religious tattoos, and tu

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PO3 (Join to see)

>1 y

I'm all for freedom of religion, but they volunteered to be in the military... what the hell happened to uniformity?

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SFC Mark Merino

>1 y

As a civilian, I can say that is dead sexy.

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SSG Lawrence Campagna

>1 y

I guess its because I come from a somewhat long line (not as long as some of course) of military history and pride dating back to WWII. But I grew up with a certain amount of patriotism that I feel is lacking in todays society. What happens when we start coming away from that in our own military? I'm not saying at all that being muslim makes a patriot not. But at what point do these changes start eating away at the integrity of our military? Towards the end of my career I was already noticing a difference in the recruits coming in and the control it took to deal with them. Loosining our rwgulations just makes me feel like we are coming so far from the warrior mantality that we rely on. I guess at this point I am just rambling.

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1SG(P) (Join to see)

Posted 12 y ago

MSG, please define a "'deployed' mindset".

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SSG (Join to see)

Posted 12 y ago

I disagree with this whole heartedly. I am a Christian and
have no hatred for any other religion or race, but this is the Army and we have
a standards that should be set in stone with NO exceptions at all. If you wish
to be a part of the Army then YOU WILL act, look and play the part of a
soldier. If you do not wish to meet this criteria then you do not belong here.
If people are overweight we kick them out, now they want to crack down on visible
tattoo's, or how we dress and look off duty, all of this is fine to me, I do
not care one bit because I am a soldier 24-7. With that said we cannot ramp up
the standards of AR 670-1 just to make an exception to the policy due to the
possibility of offending someone of violating their religion. Next they will
make exemptions to shooting assigned weapons because it is against a soldiers
religion to take another life. Some may say "that will never
happen!", but a few years ago some would have said that this would have
never happened.

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SSG V. Michelle Woods

12 y

I agree but it seems as though DoD is not listening to one word we as the majority have to say.

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CSM Mike Maynard

Posted 12 y ago

I know a lot of people on here are commenting based on articles or new stories that they read.<div><br></div><div>If you want to know what the changes actually are, you should read the DoDI 1300.17 (10Feb09), Change 1 (22Jan14).</div><div><br></div><div>Once you read that, I think most who think this may be going too far will relax a little.</div><div><br></div><div>Basically it expands the reasons to request a religious accommodation exemption, but does not actually expand religious accommodations out-right even though it does give immediate commanders the authority to authorize an accommodation as long as it doesn't go against any current policy (ie AR 670-1).</div><div><br></div>

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SFC (Join to see)

Posted 12 y ago

These types of subjects always seem to get touchy. As in any community, religion and politics always bring about strong feelings.

When I was a young private, I remember seeing a soldier here and there with a turban or a beard. When I asked my NCOs, I was told that the Army respected the religious beliefs of those soldiers, and that a major tenet of their religion was to keep facial hair, or wear the headgear. I accepted it and moved on about my day. What I observed is that those soldiers were as disciplined and professional as I tried to be. They were there, serving in their capacity, doing their jobs and developing themselves as soldiers. This was back in the mid 1980's when things were still kind of simple, and not as politically correct, as we like to call it today.

When a soldier is performing to his or her capacity, and trying to better themselves in their profession, they are an asset to the Army. Wearing a particular headdress, or having facial hair is irrelevant. I love the Army, our traditions, the uniform I am privileged to put on. I will not object to someone else who has those feelings for our Army, with the exception of a particular uniform item. So, they stand out. It shows the world that we are tolerant, inclusive and willing to respect others for who they are.

Both arguments of this issue have merit, and are valid to the individual. What we must accept, as we swore to do, are the lawful orders of our superior officers. Like it or not, they've gotten together and decided it was okay. Now lets have our NCO time, vent it out, then lead by example. Our younger generation of soldiers will follow our lead.

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SSG (Join to see)

Posted 12 y ago

HMMMM I sure would like to see a Soldier with a full beard try and seal their pro-mask.

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SFC Michael Hasbun

12 y

I'd sure like to see the pro mask be relevant so the Chemical Corps has something to do again! Poor guys... I can't help but wonder if this is how the MOS in charge of shining suits of armor felt when they became irrelevant..

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SSG (Join to see)

12 y

Haha.

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SPC(P) (Join to see)

12 y

lol

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SGT David Petree

Posted 9 y ago

I can under stand wearing of a mustache . Because I had one for 25 years in the Army. But the beard not really , I have one now. One must trim it daily, clean it daily to prevent it from the itch . You can Not get your gas maces to seal enough to keep anything out. Have you ever tried to get Grease out of a beard ?? I have takes a lone time. I can see your guys wearing it in country's were they are fighting because the population there sees a bit of respect for there country.

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Maj (Join to see)

Edited >1 y ago

Posted >1 y ago

I think this is old crap. I've met an USAF Muslim Chaplain with a trimmed beard wearing a Muslim cover (don't know what it is called) while indoors. This is not new.

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New grooming standards approved by the DOD

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