Posted on 09/07/2016 2:56:20 PM PDT by PROCON
American service members are petitioning for the return of beards to the US military, with their petition now containing well over 10,000 signatures.
According to the petition page “Beards for Military“ on change.org, the writers of the petition call for the return of the long-gone tradition of tasteful facial hair on service members, citing a boost in morale.
“All I want is to be able to grow a beard,” the petition reads, as penned by Ed Beebe. “I want to grow long locks of love on my face that will make me feel like a manly man. It is not something out of this world to ask. Grooming standards will still be in effect, but I just want facial hair that I can run my fingers through. This is free of cost to the government and can have morale boosting potential for military members.”
The petition proposes grooming standards for beards and the option to shave if there is a chemical threat where gas masks may be needed.
“What about a chemical environment where a gas mask is needed?” the petition asks. “In environments where a chemical threat is possible JUST SHAVE. If it is found later that no chemical threat is near then grow that manly beard right back out. Easy day.”
The ban on beards came primarily around the time of World War I, during the dawn of chemical warfare. Since then, the allowances or re-introduction of beards has been either short-lived policy (such as the 1970s Navy) or on a case-by-case basis, such as Special Operations Forces.
Beards have also come up as a sore topic of discussion in the case of several Sikh soldiers and a rabbi who were citing religious reasons for their facial hair.
US Army AR 670-1 regulations state that “Handlebar mustaches, goatees, and beards are not authorized. If appropriate medical authority allows beard growth, the maximum length authorized for medical treatment must be specific.” For example, “The length of the beard cannot exceed 1/4 inch.”
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I say NO to beards for 2 reasons.
1) They'll compromise MOPP (mission-oriented protective posture), ie.(How quick can you shave with gas on the way?)
2) IMHO, it'll make units look ragtag.
Any of you younger vets have another opinion?
Pingy
ooooh, I remember HIM in the 1970s! Very sexy back then! (Now looks a little porn-ish, lol.)
Servicemen had beards until WW1 when poison gas can into use as a weapon. Gas masks would not seal against the skin on a soldier’s face with a beard, so shaving became a matter of living or dying.
For some reason it makes me think Muzzies are doing the petitioning.
And looks too muzzy to me. In fact, more jihadis will join if allowed to wear beards.
Well, for 1, NO neckbeards then!
For 2, Why not trimmed goaties, longer sideburns and not-Hitler mustaches? I mean, completely bald—shaved heads, waxed bodies, plucked eyebrows— would look even more uniform, but sometimes one wants to actually be not unattractive to women.
Funny.
If you need facial hair for morale you are an insufferable whiner. What the hell has happened to the men in this country?
Well, then you definitely didn't want to wear the old Army-issued eyeglasses!
Good points but even goatees and longer sideburns would affect the face seal of the protective (gas) mask, IMHO.
Is this cover for the Jihadis burrowing into the US military?
In the Navy there used to be a tradition allowing Chief Petty Officers, Warrant Officers and more senior (usually LCDR and up) to wear a tastefully trimmed beard. But yeah in a chemical warfare attack that won’t do. On the other hand the odds of a surprise attack with poison gas are so low, I might OK with allowing beards for servicemen not stationed in combat zones. I think the Brits still allow it.
I think they just want to be hip.
On the subject of a chemical environment...the beard isn’t just an issue, in the actual event of a chemical environment. That’s not the only time a mask is used. It was used often in training, to make sure we could function in full MOPP gear. Part of the tank gunnery was done with masks on, I’ve roadmarched with mask on, even played volleyball with it on. So that puts me in the ‘no’ to beard column.
I also see a sanitation issue - again in just training as much as actual combat. We would get funky filthy, and go up to three weeks without a shower in training. I couldn’t imagine what kind of food would fester in a beard when you go that long without bathing.
I think they should be allowed to have beards. After all their CIC has a beard...
-———rimshot———
Those birth control glasses are in style now for hipsters...which is amazing to me.
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