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
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.
If you need facial hair for morale you are an insufferable whiner. What the hell has happened to the men in this country?
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.
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———
My GI Joe with his Kung fu grip had a beard.
I am not sure I would want to be in a chemical weapon attack with a beard.
Yeah, Ulysses Grant and Robert E. Lee sure look like hell in the old civil war pictures. Wish they had shaved.
Of course feminists will demand the right for female soldiers to have beards too if this goes through.
There are other situations (e.g. fire fighting, smoke/overheat, hazmat, aircraft depressurization, submarine environments) besides bio/chem warfare environments where a well fitted breathing mask is essential.
I was always amazed at the number of times someone seemed to be “starting a beard” and showed up unshaven for work in the civilian world. More like too lazy or running late on getting to work that day.
NO to the military.
My opinion:
Beards are A-OK for a Navy sailor on sea duty or in a troglodyte job in the bowels of a Navy vessel. Naval officers may wear beards if they’re the XO of a ship, in which case the beard must be handsome and commodore-like, preferably blond. All submariners shall be allowed to grow beards by naval law.
The US Army can have beards if they’re in the super duper bitchin’ commando units like Special Forces and Delta or with CIA-SAD. Those guys can do whatever they want to or need to.
Air Force shall not have beards. But big gaudy handlebar mustaches with waxed tips for fighter pilots and combat rotary aviators as a sort of esprit du corps is permissible as long as the pilot is in a shit hot outfit. This goes for Army and Navy pilots too, but never for Marine pilots.
The US Marine Corps shall never have beards. Ever. I don’t care what the reason or deployment status is. Those NCOs entitled to a mustache shall not have them exceed the corners of their mouth. All the rest of you devils, I better see a fresh close shave on everybody by final formation at 1630 or liberty is cancelled for all y’all. Come to my doggone formation without a clean shave and SEE what happen to YOU. Everybody be accountable for every other Marine’s shave. Turn TO. Now, GIT’CHO bodies out of here a’fore I start slayin’.
In extremely rare special occasions, a US Marine officer may wear a handlebar mustache, but they better be at least colonel or CWO4 in rank, holding the Navy Cross or higher, and be an absolute untouchable badass that everyone regards as akin to a demigod who walks the Earth.