Posted on Dec 20, 2013
What is your take on having a nicely groomed beard?
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I currently serve with NATO and it seems like 90% of the other 28 nations here allow their soldiers to have neatly groomed beards and even some that are a bit extreme. I know a lot of US soldiers that would be happy to have beards including myself. My opinion, if you can keep it neat and trimmed and it looks professional, I don't think it should be a problem. What's your opinion?
Standards
Grooming Standards
DA Pam 670-1
Facial Hair
Posted 12 y ago
Responses: 24
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1SG (Join to see)
yeah. Unfortunately it looks like we arent even going to be allowed sideburns here soon. But that is one healthy caterpillar hes got growing there.
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MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
I can see this coming back in vogue. Leave it to Rhode Islanders. Next it'll be coffee milk in the chow hall.
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1SG(P) (Join to see)
Sir,no RI cuisine should be introduced in the chow hall. The Army would f*ck it up. Just the number of profiles incurred by inexperienced spoons trying to shuck clams should be enough to keep Mother Army from going down that path.
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MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
LMAO on the clams - good point 1SG(P) (Join to see). If you can't put it in an MRE keep it out of the chow hall. I would hate to imagine, dehydrated quahog - just add salt water. Or worse, how they could murder the new official state appetizer.
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It would be fantastic, the problem would be in the definitions of "neatly groomed" and it would go downhill quickly. That being said, I would not have to shave off the "facial armor" any more! Do not see it happening, just like I don't see being able to grow a euro-trash pony tail any time soon!
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The Navy allowed beards for quite a while, I know that I would love for them to bring them back. OSHA says you can't maintain a good seal in protective gear and self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) with them which is one of the main reasons we can't have them. Onboard ships we are all trained to fight fires and casualties. I still think it is something that could be revisited.
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SGT Curtis Earl
Servicemen with medical conditions can grow beards. I don't think it really interferes with gas mask usage. I think it's just something drummed up as a reason. It's 2014, certainly we're at a point where beards shouldn't interfere with masks. The military has an idea of how it wants soldiers to look, thats it. If beards truly caused an issue, then even soldiers with medical profiles wouldn't be allowed to grow beards.
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CMDCM Gene Treants
"Beards" for medical reasons are barely more than stubble IF administered correctly. Sailors with "No Shave" Chits still have to trim and not allow the brard to be over a prescribed length.
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MSgt James Trent
I don't have a problem with beards except it is a little more subjective on the person who may try and get you in trouble on them for being out of regs. I think that the beard MAY cause some issues but would just need a little adjustment. How can your hair on your head not cause problems but a beard will? I know the mask doesn't come into contact with your hair a lot but it does a little. Especially with women. So if it can work for them it can work for beards.
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I think it should be allowed. How does the service allow mustaches, but still want uniformity--yet the service does not allow beards? In order to make it more uniform, we can even allow the ladies to grow beards. I had a female flight chief once that I swore could grow a nicer beard if the regulations would allow it.
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I think senior NCOs and COs should be permitted to grow a well groomed beard. I think it looks rather dashing and professional. The standards wouldn't be difficult to enact, either.
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LTC Paul Labrador
Honestly, even if beards were allowed, I still think it'd be more of an NCO thing than officer thing. There is an unspoken rule about officers being clean shaven and not having any facial hair.
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In my opinion beards should be allowed! I concur with you, neat, trimmed and professional...
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I don't think it would hurt at all and when someone points out they want uniformity as a reason to not have beards. I will say look at all the people on shaving profiles. others will also point out that having a beard can interfere with a gas mask. Well where I am stationed by they time they broke out the gas masks I would either be dead or had enough time to go shave.
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