Why can't we grow beards?

Several reasons for this. For me it is a clear indicator for leadership to instantly identify someone who may struggle with military discipline. Unlike tattoos or other waiverable situation(s), a shave must happen daily. Every morning it is the first step in locking on military bearing. If a service member is unable to shave in the morning then it can not be expected that they are able successfully complete any of the other tasks for that day without supervision. That's the way I see it.

There is no distactors for facial hair. Next the military will say shave your public hair. WTF

Gentlemen and ladies if you wish. Todays military is 100% volunteer. When you held up your hand you agreed To follow the rules and regs . So you have no reason to not follow them. If you do not like one or more you should have learned more about your future employer before you signed up As the poem says "yours is not to reason why yours is to just die, into the valley of death rode the 600" Charge of the Light Brigade

Should not be allowed. In protracted engagements you do not shower or bathe. The longer the hair on your head or face the greater the likelihood you will get an infection and have to be removed from the front line. Proven fact when you have protracted combat in the field, more than a month

For one thing, it prevents a seal for your gas mask. Another, it’s a hygiene issue. Thirdly, they often look like crap. This isn’t the Civil War where shaving was a luxury.

Wow, I’m confused by your motivation to pose this question in such a derrogitory way. It seems you want to express your contempt towards certain professional standards that have been allowed that you are against. Are some of these allowed or are they tolerated for specific reasons until the standard is maintained. There are steps for discipline when a standard is not met such as physical features ie a medical condition or a requirement for a mission. Overall the goal of standardization is for health of the individual unit and mission. The military has had many years to understand how to build morale and keep good order and discipline but society today has been challenged with the same due to so many factors. Military members continue to be challenged to meet standards and with deployments they learn the reason for these standards. What are you really trying to say? The current military are slackers or why can’t you grow a beard in the military? These are very different things to comment on. At different times in a career members are still moldable 18-21 year olds. As far as your first statement I think you could be questioning mentorship? Would that be correct or are you saying every new military member must be squared away from the get go? Please clarify.

I love how this conversation can't be had with out a bunch of stereotypical pissed off NCOs being all "hooah hooah" and saying "if you want to have a beard then get out or you do as your told." I mean come on are y'all so salty that out can't talk about army regulation with out trying to enforce it.

Back in 1967 when I was starting my military "hitch", my father warned me about getting tattoos. Expecting a lecture about how bad they looked, and all that, he surprised me with : "They're just another way for someone to identify you if you "mess" up. They may forget your face, but they'll never forget a tattoo." That man knew me well, so I never got one.

that is a good question i would like to see if some body in dc will hear you

I remember the handlebar mustaches that were popular in the Cavalry. On the day the new reg took effect most, if not all, the officers shaved theirs off instead of just trimming the ends. That was in the 70's. Beards are over-rated and are hard to take care of properly. But, so is shaving in the field.