In brief
In a significant update to military grooming regulations, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has mandated that troops requiring exemptions from shaving for more than a year will be discharged. This new policy aims to maintain military grooming standards and requires a medical treatment plan for exemptions, specifically addressing conditions like pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), which mainly affects Black men. The memo lacks clarity on available treatments and whether costs will be covered, marking a shift in military standards as the Army introduces its own grooming updates to better accommodate service members.
WASHINGTON (Echosphere News) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered that troops who need an exemption from shaving their facial hair for longer than a year should be discharged from the service.
While commanders can still issue shaving exemptions — a long-standing policy — they must now be accompanied by a medical treatment plan, according to Hegseth’s August 20 memo made public on Monday. Troops who still require treatment after one year will be separated from service.
“The Department must remain vigilant in maintaining the grooming standards which underpin the warrior ethos,” Hegseth wrote.
The majority of shaving waivers are attributed to troops diagnosed with pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), a condition where hair curls back into the skin after shaving, causing irritation. This condition disproportionately affects Black men.
The memo does not specify what treatments the military would provide or if it will cover the costs for those affected by the new policy.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the implications of this policy on special forces and soldiers stationed in extremely cold conditions where shaving could pose health risks.
This new directive comes as the Army has also updated its grooming standards, significantly altering acceptable appearance expectations, particularly for female service members.
