Why can't we grow beards?

Because the Chief of Staff of the United States Army says that you can't. Concentrate on training and fighting and not BS.

We were not allowed beards in Nam either. I thinks its all about, "military respect", or the person who made this rule was a female officer......!

It's simple. In garrison it's a grooming standard for professionalism. In the field your protective mask will not seal properly with facial hair. The Civil war days are gone, the enemy has NBC capabilities now.

I love that this discussion is trending here. A nice break from awaiting missile strike reprisals.

For me mostly genetics.

Because we volunteered for the military, and they dont let you! Next question?

beards cause many hygene problems when in the field

I know that in many services, facial hair is not allowed because you cannot get a complete seal on an SCBA or a mask (chemical attack, etc...). Your beard would not allow for a proper seal with the mask and that could put your life and others at risk.

It is not conducive to the environments in which Army personnel need to operate, with the exception of those personnel operating in areas where beards are an integral part of the society and considered to be a sign of manhood and someone to be respected, there really is not purpose for a beard.
They are not compatible with gas masks, can become an issue when not maintained properly causing many different problems to include lice infestation. Furthermore beards have never been a part of Army history except for the earlier years when beards were more of a socially accepted dress for men.
Suck it up, grow a pair and get back to being a soldier, I you want to grow a beard, go Special Ops and live in the desert, it's not really fun. Or, get out and grow one of the many hipster beard fashions.

Fair enough-beards are fine if it doesn’t interfere with a specific utilitarian purpose like wearing a pro-mask. I don’t support the culture of conformity. A free country should have a free military.