Urge SECDEF Pete Hegseth to Permit Beards across the DoD
Urge SECDEF Pete Hegseth to Permit Beards across the DoD
The Issue
The Department of Defense (DoD) has long maintained strict regulations on grooming standards, including rules against facial hair, unless individuals have a religious accommodation or medical waiver due to pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB).
The adoption of medical shaving waivers within each service has been beneficial for those who experience health conditions that require them to have beards. However, these waivers are not universally recognized across the entire DoD and are accompanied by unintended consequences.
This petition urges Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) Pete Hegseth to allow beards across the entire Department of Defense, in accordance with each service's pre-existing medical shaving waiver standards. This action would prioritize the health of our service members while maintaining the professional appearance of the military. It would also increase access to care by reducing mandatory appointments to address PFB concerns, allowing healthcare providers to focus on more urgent medical needs.
By making this change, we can ensure that all personnel with medical or religious waivers no longer face silent discrimination and slower promotion rates, as highlighted by multiple peer-reviewed studies.
A study by Michael T Tshudy, MD, USAF, MC, and Sunghun Cho, MD, MC, USA concluded that
* PFB is a permanent medical condition that cannot be cured with education on shaving technique; the only effective treatment is to abstain from close shaving.
* PFB can occur at any time when hair is cut short (<1/8 inch), regardless of razor or shaving cream used.
* Laser hair removal is expensive, not readily available, and can cause patchy hair growth and permanent skin discoloration.
* Managing a shaving waiver program is time-consuming and expensive, with the Air Force spending $9,754,827 between 2017 and 2019 to treat PFB.
* Allowing at least 1/8 inch of facial hair can essentially eliminate PFB, saving crucial resources.
Support our service members' health and sign this petition to urge SECDEF Pete Hegseth to extend the acceptance of facial hair growth within the Armed Forces to at least the current medical shaving waiver standards found throughout the Armed Forces.
Additional resources:
https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/186/1-2/e52/5948064
https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/186/7-8/187/6040786
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-beards-trial-program/
https://www.politico.eu/article/british-army-lifts-100-year-old-beard-ban-for-soldiers-and-officers/
495
The Issue
The Department of Defense (DoD) has long maintained strict regulations on grooming standards, including rules against facial hair, unless individuals have a religious accommodation or medical waiver due to pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB).
The adoption of medical shaving waivers within each service has been beneficial for those who experience health conditions that require them to have beards. However, these waivers are not universally recognized across the entire DoD and are accompanied by unintended consequences.
This petition urges Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) Pete Hegseth to allow beards across the entire Department of Defense, in accordance with each service's pre-existing medical shaving waiver standards. This action would prioritize the health of our service members while maintaining the professional appearance of the military. It would also increase access to care by reducing mandatory appointments to address PFB concerns, allowing healthcare providers to focus on more urgent medical needs.
By making this change, we can ensure that all personnel with medical or religious waivers no longer face silent discrimination and slower promotion rates, as highlighted by multiple peer-reviewed studies.
A study by Michael T Tshudy, MD, USAF, MC, and Sunghun Cho, MD, MC, USA concluded that
* PFB is a permanent medical condition that cannot be cured with education on shaving technique; the only effective treatment is to abstain from close shaving.
* PFB can occur at any time when hair is cut short (<1/8 inch), regardless of razor or shaving cream used.
* Laser hair removal is expensive, not readily available, and can cause patchy hair growth and permanent skin discoloration.
* Managing a shaving waiver program is time-consuming and expensive, with the Air Force spending $9,754,827 between 2017 and 2019 to treat PFB.
* Allowing at least 1/8 inch of facial hair can essentially eliminate PFB, saving crucial resources.
Support our service members' health and sign this petition to urge SECDEF Pete Hegseth to extend the acceptance of facial hair growth within the Armed Forces to at least the current medical shaving waiver standards found throughout the Armed Forces.
Additional resources:
https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/186/1-2/e52/5948064
https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/186/7-8/187/6040786
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-beards-trial-program/
https://www.politico.eu/article/british-army-lifts-100-year-old-beard-ban-for-soldiers-and-officers/
495
Supporter Voices
Petition created on January 30, 2025