Why can't we grow beards?

So let’s look at this from another perspective: with the active targeting by several groups abroad or here at home, the “typical” military appearance has, in my opinion, become a force protection issue. High & tights and clean shaven faces immediately expose your military affiliation. I’ve spent the vast majority of my career with Special Forces who routinely have beards etc and I can tell you they are by far the most professional people I have ever worked with. I get the whole professional appearance thing, but a lot of times we overlook someone’s ability to soldier in favor of focusing on the fact that their mustache extends 1/32” past the corner of the mouth, or that their bun isn’t in the proper position etc.

To all those that say facial hair is unprofessional, would you consider a member with a no shaving profile as looking unprofessional?

If we allow it for medical reasons, which means no trimming or line up, then why not allow members to grow them and keep them well maintained?

I think the Australians/Canadians have it right (can’t remeber which country as it was RimPac) they allow their members to grow facial hair for a week, and if the Sgt. thinks it looks good in uniform then that member is allowed to grow it while keeping it in standards. That would prevent what most of the “frozen middle” are afraid of, Joe Dirt beards.

Protective mask seal.

Because I said so. Now go finish your vegetables.

That's why I joined the NAVY!

I had fun serving with a mustache for all of my career except basic training and Airborne School. Then again, at Airborne School, I had the reverse mustache where the skin over my lip burned. Many a SGM got tweaked trying to figure out if my stache was too wide. Just gave em a bigger smile when I caught them looking.

"We do it this way because it's how we've always done it," is a very weak argument!

OK, I've scanned by this thread too many times. I cannot help myself. My smart ass will not be contained. Apologies in advance.

As a juvenile male enters puberty and begins to sexually mature the gonads begin to produce testosterone. This happens at different ages for different males It is an androgen that stimulates the development of secondary male sexual characteristics...

CBRN readiness is the reason why. The current mask cannot seal with facial hair.

If they had allowed facial hair when I was in, I would have stayed for 30 years. But alas, I prefer having facial hair like the generations of my family have had.