Why can't we grow beards?

NBC mask is the most legitimate reason. When we deployed for Desert Storm it was no big secret Iraq had biological weapons, all shaving profiles were nullified! You can’t seal your mask on hair!

You knew what the standards were when you joined, adhere to them and stop whining, want to grow a beard, get out and stop buying in to all the rumorville, our military is a professional, credible organization, that is evident in our success

I think the military is going down hill. Catering to the public and lacking in professionalism. They are lowering standards and training. It's bad enough that they don't have to polish boots, now they won't have to shave, what's the next step after that shorts and flipflops because the uniforms are to hot. The millenials are taking over.

It’s a dog and pony show now. The people who actually fight the wars and use gas masks all grow beards. The ones who do gate guard and post details or sit on there phone all day at work preaching uniformity and professionalism

Gas

So, overweight "people" are chaptered out as fast as possible in my unit. I don't know many criminal background Soldiers, probably because I work in Intelligence and they wouldn't get clearances. And modern society says that there is nothing wrong with tattoos.

The issue with beards is regulating them, history, and, fitting of protective gear.
There was extensive problems with masks fitting previously. Beards are also unsanitary when in the field. Any pubic hair is and if you have to go weeks without showering, that stuff is the first to go.
So instead of complaining develop a white paper to give the SMA detailing what would be a good policy on beards and how to enforce it.

Sounds like you really love the Army

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