Most depictions I see show them clean shaven, but I never thought twice of it.
Now, I'm seeing things that make me wonder if shaving is mandatory (or beards and moustaches forbidden). Is that so, is there a reason why?
I wonder because the French military has a facial hair tradition, there even used to be a time when only noblemen and soldiers could avoid the razor.
2006-10-16 08:25:36 · 12 answers · asked by Svartalf 6 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
My husband is active duty Air Force U.S. ... The only kind of facial hair he can have is a mustache... Other than that he has to be cleanly shaved and if he does have a mustache it has to be trimmed and kept clean and tidy.... They have this rule to keep the Military looking professional.... Beards can only be worn if you have health reasons, And you have to have an Authorized shaving waiver.. Sideburns must be neatly tapered and trimmed in the same manner as the allowable hair cuts they cannot flare at the ends... they cannot extend below the lowest part of the exterior ear opening,( does not apply to those with Shaving waivers)I just read all of this in my husbands Air Force handbook.. At the beginning of the chapter Dress And Appearance it states the following...
Your appearance affects the confidence and trust people will place in you as an Air Force professional... I've read the entire chapter and I haven't seen anything that say s they have to keep there beards shaved because of the Gas mask suction....
2006-10-16 08:29:44 · answer #1 · answered by secret agent lady 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
1.) The AR regulations cover the Army only. Other branches of the military will have different regulations.
2.) "A gas mask won't seal properly over a beard" is a myth. The German army allows facial hair and their masks don't have a problem with sealing. In the US military, the stated reason is for uniformity, and tradition. Not since the Spanish-American war have beards been authorized.
3.) Mustaches, for the most part, are authorized. They are, however, regulated in size and shape.
2006-10-16 08:40:24 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
In the Marine Corps you cannot shave your head (as in bald with a razor) it is considered an eccentric hair cut. There are regulations that dictate what you can and cannot have when it comes to a hair cut. They might have changed but when I was in a marine hair cut had to be zero and graduating meaning shaved bald around the bottom edges and gradually getting longer kind of like a fade and it can be 3 inches at its longest on the top which can be measured with an ID card. But then you have the high and tight the horse shoe and a few others like a medium reg. It is to keep sanitation easy in the field and to lessen the problem with having to judge what is OK and what is not
2016-05-22 06:59:45 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The design of the standard gas mask (at least while I was in the US Army, 1992 to 1997) would burn like hell if you were not cleanly shaved. You *could* go by without shaving every day, but only if you had a medical profile allowing you to do so. Shaving profiles were common in black men because their beard would curl very fast and result in ingrown hairs. The profile said how much time they could go between shaving, but it was widely known that if they were going to have an inspection they should time their shaves so they could have a fresh shave right before the inspection.
The shaving and haircuts can be waived due to the exigencies of the service, for example, if you ever watch the most recent documentaries on US Army Special Forces operators working in Afghanistan, most of them grow full beards out of respect for the sensibilities of the locals.
For those of you not in the service, a "profile" is a medical document, sort of like a doctor's note. A shaving profile instructs the soldier on how often he needs to shave, if he needs to use a straightening brush, etc. You get profiles for all sorts of reasons, not just this. For example, in Fort Gordon, GA it was common to have a "no marching" profile if you had chin splints. You were not excused from walking wherever you had to, but you were ordered to not march because it would lengthen the healing process.
2006-10-16 08:47:32 · answer #4 · answered by veraperezp 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The primary reason the US Military requires a clean shave (mustaches are allowed) is for the protective mask to seal properly. Aside from that, it is a well groomed appearance, and fits with the traditional standard.
The Army regulation that governs appearance is AR 670-1.
2006-10-16 08:33:38 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes, in the US Army, a man can have a neatly trimmed mustache if he wants, but must be clean shaven other than that. The 1st thing my Dad did after retiring after 20 years was grow his hair long (shockingly, it was curly!) and a goatee.
2006-10-16 08:35:10 · answer #6 · answered by sparkleandme4yrs 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They need to stay clean cut. Facial hair can be a danger around chemicals and fire. There are other jobs which require this, as well, for the same reason. My husband has run into this.
2006-10-16 08:34:06 · answer #7 · answered by Lydia 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, US military has to be clean shaven
2006-10-16 08:45:45 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
1
2017-01-26 19:35:04 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One reason for this rule is that a gas mask won't seal over a beard.
2006-10-16 08:31:22 · answer #10 · answered by tumbleweed1954 6 · 6⤊ 2⤋