Why can't we grow beards?

Because you may be mistaken for a muslim that stole an American uniform and get your ass shot.

Talk to Germans and Danes. They aren't as much beards as it is a week of scruff, so the mask still seals. Makes sense and I'm sure the Army would get behind it, but.................
We have idiots in the Army, lots of em. Look how many people can't even do a shaving profile properly. I've seen countless soldiers with "shaving profiles" who instead of just keeping the affected area to the length prescribed by the doc, they have perfectly lined up facial hair, like done by a barber. That is why they won't even hear the idea of letting some facial hair be allowed. Because Soldiers will push the limits and try to get away with stuff, making it all look bad. Yes some soldiers ruin things for everybody. If you really want a beard, go SOF and deploy to CENTCOM, that's about the only way while serving.

Historically speaking you can blame the Gillette company. Back in ww2 they got the contract to sell solely the the military for big profit and solidified it with the claim that a clean shaven face would have a better deal with their gas masks.

I shouldn't wonder why. Go ahead. Insult a field grade officer. See if it helps you career.

Inhibits the seal on your Pro Mask.

what Army doesn’t have an issue sealing their promask with beards?? Interested to know why we haven’t invested in this technology....

Cause your pro mask won’t seal properly.

Wow there are a lot of angry people on here. Well if u are all OK with it I will put in my two cent. As far as a beard is concerned I believe the answer is simple. There are to many ways to grow them and therefore they will not be informed. After all what would be the length limited. What about thickness and shape and color. Who isn't set this regulation and do we make every grow one or just those who want it? To me the answer is simply there are to any options to control. I had a mustache when I was in and I kept it in regulation S. So no I am not against them. But I can give two stories to maybe help with this conversation. 1. We had a brigade meeting one time and the colonel gave a speech and part of his speech was on mustaches. Thing he said is that we had a right to them but he did not see why we would cultivate on our faces what he grew naturally on him ass. Now I have to admit I kept my mustache for years but everytime I shaved and trimmed it I had to think of this an and his ass. No I don't wear one anymore. Now the other story. We had a soldier who decided that he was an individual once and that his body was his and he could do what he wants. Well he decided to get a porcupine designed in his hair and showed up to formation with it. Well needless to say he found out that as a soldier your body does not belong to you and you are not a citizen that can make your own choices

These are questions that we asked back in the 70's. Wasn't resolved then, and it won't be now.

Your protective mask will not seal. little known fact Hitler had a short mustache because during WWI when he got gassed his mask did not seal over his traditional long German mustache. Unfortunately he recovered.