4
3
1
So now that the Army has made it so you can grow a beard for religious
reasons, does that mean anyone that claims Jedi as their religion can
grow a beard? How many other religions allowed within the military will be allowing Service members to begin wearing facial hair?
Currently, Excluding limited exemptions for religious accommodation, the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps
have policies that prohibit beards on the basis of hygiene, the
necessity of a good seal for chemical weapon protective masks, and the
official position that uniform personal appearance and grooming
contribute to discipline and a sense of camaraderie (cited from a DC District Court Civil Action).
reasons, does that mean anyone that claims Jedi as their religion can
grow a beard? How many other religions allowed within the military will be allowing Service members to begin wearing facial hair?
Currently, Excluding limited exemptions for religious accommodation, the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps
have policies that prohibit beards on the basis of hygiene, the
necessity of a good seal for chemical weapon protective masks, and the
official position that uniform personal appearance and grooming
contribute to discipline and a sense of camaraderie (cited from a DC District Court Civil Action).
Posted in these groups: 
Religion
Facial Hair
Religion Facial Hair
Edited 12 y ago
Posted 12 y ago
Responses: 40
1
1
0
Let's hear it ladies and gentlemen! From what I understand, this will be left up to the commander to determine what is best for their unit. So officers, what will your limits be?
(1)
(0)
SSG V. Michelle Woods
PFC Mullins
Please see the new standard as set by me in the discussion listed below.
(lol)
In your opinion, do you believe these groups should have the right to be more lax? If so, with which standards should they be given privilege to waive? If you believe all standards should be followed ...
(0)
(0)
MAJ (Join to see)
As long as a unit's mission is not put at risk or safety jeopardized,
the regulations would allow an exception to standard "clean-cut"
grooming standards on religious grounds, including facial hair or other hairstyles, tattoos and piercings that reflect a soldier's spiritual
faith.
This being said I see Unit Leadership having to vet some potentially irrational religious explanations from Soldiers prior to getting to the Chaplain. Chaplain on speed dial!
the regulations would allow an exception to standard "clean-cut"
grooming standards on religious grounds, including facial hair or other hairstyles, tattoos and piercings that reflect a soldier's spiritual
faith.
This being said I see Unit Leadership having to vet some potentially irrational religious explanations from Soldiers prior to getting to the Chaplain. Chaplain on speed dial!
(2)
(0)
0
0
0
LTC Joseph Gross - I can seat my mask with a beard… and have seen numerous others. Would you prefer video (which is readily available online), or the personal accounts of the dozens of others that have done it?
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
So are you saying ALL religious accommodations should go away- including Sikhs and Muslims as those are the two most prominent groups with beard accommodations?
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Jesus had a beard and he must be exemplified!
I don't know why we are so restrictive on facial hair. CBRN isn't a good reason to oppose beards because in 23 years and 7 deployments I have been operationally at MOPP ready for about a week and I can shave faster than a unit can issue protective masks.
I don't know why we are so restrictive on facial hair. CBRN isn't a good reason to oppose beards because in 23 years and 7 deployments I have been operationally at MOPP ready for about a week and I can shave faster than a unit can issue protective masks.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Those under my BN that claimed Muslim are able to have a beard, less than 2 inches. I grew mine out as a Heathen- now I need to meet with the Chaplain at BN for permission where as others have not been scrutinized.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
It the late 70s a Army Rabi petitioned the Army for the right to wear a beard for religious accommodation and was successful. So the beard situation is nothing new to the Army.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
0
0
0
If I remember right, there was an Airman back in the 1990's that tried to justify splitting his tongue because he was Wiccan and it was part of his religion. I brought this up because where do we draw the line? Which personal religious accommodations do we sacrifice uniformity and standards for, and which ones do we forbid? When everything was one size fits all, this was a non-issue.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Searching around on the net and I like this idea "The Full, Untrimmed Beard-A Sign of Manhood" I feel that if we continue to cave to the Muslim and Hindu based on their religious faith then we lose! How can we let the Atheist bully Christian principles out of the military but allow Muslims and Hindu's to bully us in to allowing them this aspect of their religion? I just do not get it. I stopped shaving the day I retired, never shaved on weekends and while on leave. However, in uniform I felt like I was squared away as I should have been.
(0)
(0)
CPT Pedro Meza
CPO Russell Sauer, you do know that there are servicemen that have beards out the wire, you want to look square away I want to complete a mission. We are in lands where the beard is authority.
(1)
(0)
0
0
0
I think the best way to get people to not want a beard in the military is to require random CBRN Mask training.
1. All masks will be kept in a central location and issued when necessary.
2. Two hours prior to event, notify whatever percent you are testing to meet at the issue area.
3. Maintain positive accountability.
4. Those personnel with facial hair are not allowed to leave the area until after they have tested their mask fit in a CS chamber.
After that, they may be more inclined to shave when they realize they can't get a good seal on their mask.
As far as everyone looking uniform without facial hair, that makes about as much sense as saying everyone will need the same hairstyle to look uniform. If that were the case, everyone needs to see my barber (me) for a haircut.
1. All masks will be kept in a central location and issued when necessary.
2. Two hours prior to event, notify whatever percent you are testing to meet at the issue area.
3. Maintain positive accountability.
4. Those personnel with facial hair are not allowed to leave the area until after they have tested their mask fit in a CS chamber.
After that, they may be more inclined to shave when they realize they can't get a good seal on their mask.
As far as everyone looking uniform without facial hair, that makes about as much sense as saying everyone will need the same hairstyle to look uniform. If that were the case, everyone needs to see my barber (me) for a haircut.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google