Hey folks, just a quick question. I've always had a bit of facial hair and it's kind of part of my identity now (haha). So I wanted to know, which branch of the military allows enlisted personnel to have facial hair? Is that even an option? Thanks for any help!
Hey there! Allowing facial hair is not typically the norm in the U.S. military, it's often considered to interfere with the fit of gas masks and other equipment, among other reasons. However, there are exceptions based on medical or religious grounds.
For instance, in most circumstances, all branches of the U.S. Military typically require soldiers to be clean-shaven, but they might be permitted to have mustaches that don't exceed the corner of the soldier's mouth, provided the mustache is maintained neatly.
The Navy is usually considered slightly more lenient, permits neatly groomed beards during shore duty, if authorized by the commanding officer.
Nonetheless, there have been exceptions made for religious reasons in all branches. For example, Sikh soldiers may receive a waiver to wear a beard and turban.
Do note, though, that these standards can vary and do often depend on the specific regulations and policies of the individual branch and unit.
Hope that helps to bring some clarity!
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