Why can't we grow beards?

Maintaining simple standards of dress and appearance lay out a foundation for the rest. I can tell alot about my subordinates based on how they take care of themselves.

I've always been told its the gas masks. And yea, the Army ( to my knowledge could be wrong) is lax on certain things... But BMI? Oh boy... No. At least when I was in, you couldn't weigh over a certain amount. Pudge maybe, but full overweight? No

Beards I could care less about as long as it was professional looking. Your comment about tattoos so what, drug and or alcohol abuse problems will catch up to them in the long run as for overweight people I was always put in the fat boy program when I got to my first permanent party station, I always did extra pt watched what I ate and the weight would not come off. After we were dismissed from final formation I always put on my pt gear and went for a run in the woods behind our base 2 hours every Monday through Friday I did this. I even had a smartass sergeant think he could “ run me into the ground “ he tried and failed he couldn’t figure out why. I even competed in the Frankenstein run my CO made a deal with me if I beat him no more fat boy program if he won I would do extra pt everyday 7 days a week so I agreed you should have seen the look on his face when I met him at the finish line just waiting for him he claimed I couldn’t finish it so I got a ride there, there was a major that finished behind me that told my CO the truth the look on his face was worth all the running so don’t judge a person on their appearance

It's my understanding that this beards have been banned due to the risk of chemical weapons. If you look at images from pre ww1 you will see beards. On some.

It's bull, flat out you know why the Navy has a jumper? What is that flap for? Tradition tell us it had something to do with greasing your pony tail so when you were fighting the enemy couldn't grab you by it. Reason why you can't grow a beard? Cause the girly men can't

Had a full Beard in the Navy till 1985.

I feel that if one soldier ie the officer who has one for religious reasons then all should. The standard shoyld apply to all or none period

Depends on you mos and where you are assigned

Gas masks require a good face seal to be effective

I was in the Navy when it was an acceptable practice to grow beards while serving. I have seen men with full beards put on an SCBA and go in and fight fires on the carriers I served on. I grew one and kept it neat and trimmed. The best salt and pepper beard I ever seen was worn by a Dental Tech on the USS Independence. My first Gunny Sgt didn't care for them but he had no problem with the medical care I gave to him and his fellow Marines that I served with honorably. So I know and have heard all the reasons for why not growing them or allowing them in our services by reading this article and I am sure there are more to come. Am I in favor of them? Well yes but you are still responsible to what your comman'd has to say, no if's, and's or but's.