A month after Secretary Pete Hegseth said there would be no more “beardos” in the United States military—apart from those seeking to join the Special Forces—the United States Air Force clarified its policies on mustaches and sideburns. Anything that might seem fashionable within the “hipster” community probably won’t make the cut.
Last week, the service released a new memo that stated that male airmen may not wear sideburns that are lower than the ear opening, and must end in a “clean-shaven horizontal line.”
The new grooming standards, which don’t allow for the wearing of beards, except for those with medical waivers or religious accommodations, will allow for the wearing of mustaches.
However, the new guidelines noted that “no portion of the mustache shall extend below the upper lip line, and it must not go beyond the corners of the mouth or into a respirator seal zone.” It added that “mustaches must be neatly trimmed and should match the natural color of the airman’s head.” Moreover, “handlebar styles, twists, curls, and goatees are strictly prohibited.”
The memo emphasized that airmen should be clean-shaven.
“At the start of each duty day, male airmen must be clean-shaven,” the memo stated. “Beards are not authorized unless for medical reasons, when recommended by a medical official, and approved by applicable unit commander or as authorized pursuant to a request for a religious accommodation.”
Stricter Guidelines
The new guidelines, introduced in late October, are even stricter than those published by the Air Force in July, when it issued new uniform rules.
Previously, it was mandated that sideburns would “not extend below the bottom of the orifice of the ear opening.” This is a further change to the rule. An Air Force spokesperson confirmed the guidelines to Task & Purpose on Monday, stating, “The new guidance mandates that sideburns must be above the ear opening and that mustaches are prohibited from going beyond the corners of the mouth or into a respirator seal zone.”
In February, the United States Space Force also issued new guidelines that included a beard ban, except for medical or religious reasons, along with similar updates to haircuts and the wearing of nail polish by female guardians.
Airmen and guardians seeking a medical waiver must undergo an annual evaluation by healthcare professionals. That is a reversal from a 2020 policy that allowed those personnel diagnosed with pseudofolliculitis barbae to be issued waivers for five years without annual renewals.
Greater Uniformity
The United States Army had issued similar updates to its appearance, grooming, and uniform wear standards policy in September, just before Hegseth’s pep talk to senior military leadership at Marine Corps Base Quantico.
For male soldiers, hair may be a maximum of two inches in length on top and one inch on the sides. Any coloring must be natural in color and applied in a blended, subtle manner. No braids, twists, locs, or cornrows are allowed, nor any shaping and cutting in designs.
Military appearance was a key part of Hegseth’s address, suggesting it was a “bad look” for service members to have facial hair or other expressions of individuality.
“We’re going to cut our hair, shave our beards, and adhere to standards,” Hegseth told the audience of senior military officials. “Because it’s like the broken windows theory in policing. It’s like you let the small stuff go, the big stuff eventually goes, so you have to address the small stuff. This is on duty, in the field and in the rear. If you want a beard, you can join Special Forces. If not, then shave.”
