Navy discriminated against Muslim over beard, suit says

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Bob Egelko

[mylife]

I was an adolescent then.
Uncle was on Forestall back then.
He ALWAYS wore a beard to the day he died.
Grandad was in Burma, CIB.

[ansel12]

I was in the American Army during the Vietnam war if that is what you mean, as was my stepbrother.

My older brother was in the Navy at the time, and my little brother either in the Army during the war, or just after, I will have to ask him about it.

But I agree with President Reagan’s beard policy, and oppose allowing the Muslims and Sikhs their beards in the American military, regardless of you having known one.

Don’t worry, Obama is on your side on this, and has already reversed Reagan’s decision on Sikhs, and he will fix this Muslim beard issue as well, you can have faith in that.

[mylife]

Salute.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Bunch of garbage. If you don’t like the grooming standard, go work at the Jolly Pirate Donuts instead.

[rlmorel]

Hahaha...I had kind of a funny story along those lines.

When I was in training school in NAAS Millington, TN back in 1976 to learn how to become an aviation machinist’s mate, we had an inspection the next day, so nearly everybody had gone out to get their hair cut.

We had one guy in our class, and he was a big guy, really tall, and he had kind of a scary looking face, even though he wasn’t really a bad guy. Anyway, he had been told point-blank by a petty officer to get his hair cut, but he had forgotten to get his hair cut, so while we were all sitting around in the barracks drinking, he asked one of his fellow sailors to cut his hair for him.

Now, everyone had been drinking for a while, but the guy was game to cut his hair. The problem was, he just wasn’t very good at it to begin with, and drinking only made the situation worse.

There was probably about 10 of us standing around watching as the hapless barber tried to cut the guys hair. He was trying to be careful, but he kept screwing it up. Every time he screwed it up, he had to cut up a little bit higher.

And he kept going higher, and higher. Pretty soon, the guy had what looked like a mohawk, and the amateur barber had to admit defeat.

The big guy getting his hair cut glowered as he looked into the mirror, but there was nothing he could do. He told the guy to just take off all of his hair, but he left his beard in place. (Yes, at that time he did have a beard)

When we were at inspection the next morning, the petty officer his nearly shaved head with the intact beard in place, and wrote him up!

[Fester Chugabrew]

“You keep using that word, ‘discrimination.’ I don’t think it means what you think it means.”

[ConorMacNessa]

Z-gram #57 1Nov1970:

"A. IT APPEARS THAT MY PREDECESSOR'S (Adm. Thomas H. Moorer) GUIDANCE IN MAY ON THE SUBJECT OF HAIRCUTS, BEARDS AND SIDEBURNS IS INSUFFICIENTLY UNDERSTOOD AND, FOR THIS REASON, I WANT TO RESTATE WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE EXPLICIT: IN THE CASE OF HAIRCUTS, SIDEBURNS, AND CONTEMPORARY CLOTHING STYLES, MY VIEW IS THAT WE MUST LEARN TO ADAPT TO CHANGING FASHIONS. I WILL NOT COUNTENANCE THE RIGHTS OR PRIVILEGES OF ANY OFFICERS OR ENLISTED MEN BEING ABROGATED IN ANY WAY BECAUSE THEY CHOOSE TO GROW SIDEBURNS OR NEATLY TRIMMED BEARDS OR MOUSTACHES OR BECAUSE PREFERENCES IN NEAT CLOTHING STYLES ARE AT VARIANCE WITH THE TASTE OF THEIR SENIORS NOR WILL I COUNTENANCE ANY PERSONNEL BEING IN ANY WAY PENALIZED DURING THE TIME THEY ARE GROWING BEARDS, MOUSTACHES, OR SIDEBURNS."

The all-caps are Zumwalt's, not mine.


"Nolaig Shona Dhuit!"

Merry Christmas To You And Yours!

[7thson]

I believe it was changed 1 Jan 86.

[cva66snipe]

Which means that either CNO, SECNAV, or Sec of Defense, are the ones who would issue uniform and beard policies etc for the Navy :>} {modifications at sea on subs allowed by long standing tradition under Captains discretion}

[mylife]

Merry Christmas Mac.

[Squantos]

Did a few weeks on the Polk long ago...... I thought EOD was crazy till I saw that world for mere days versus the long time ya’ll spent submerged.

Respects...

[mylife]

EOD is worse, you are exposed.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Squantos and exposed in the same post is a bit much don’t you think?

My Uncle was on diesel WWII boats in the 50’s. 6’3” so they stuck him in the engine room.

Merry Christmas you two!

[mylife]

For the record Jimmy Jack Roy in the Original article sounds like he got his arse kicked out just after bootcamp.
Probably started in bootcamp

All the jerks that were born leaders got set up for a hard fall when I was in BC.

“Show us what you got hassim.”

[ASA Vet]

So everyone can have a beard now?

I think she'd look a little strange with a beard.

[mylife]

All I know is it never had anything to do with me during that same time frame.

[mylife]

LOL! what a cruel joke!

I remember a Sonarman that was like 6’10”

Poor old bastid walked around hunched over on the street.

[mylife]

Ya could smell him a mile away LOL

With Nukes it’s amine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rFeDIU6xuw

[Squantos]

Well I was drunk etc...etc...not my fault, sun was in my eyes etc etc... aside, never been to jail in this country.....:o)

[mylife]

When you say Polk, do you mean point or picket?