The Air Force has updated its grooming standards to formally allow Airmen to grow neatly trimmed beards, standardizing the religious or medical exemption process. The regulation formalizes a waiver process for future airmen seeking to wear turbans, hijab or beards, By Paragraph 1.5.2.3 should be renumbered as 1.5.2.4. There are many religious reasons why people might choose to grow a beard. The group is one of the Air Forces volunteer teams that considers ways to make policies more equitable for all airmen. Theres a lot of comparables where Hey if females and women in the military just got their hair changed, how about beards? said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass in April. It was only after becoming the top enlisted airman that Wright met fellow airmen for whom being clean-shaven was impossible without immense pain and skin damage. Accommodation of Religious Practices in the Air Force. Now, updated Air Force regulations make clearer and smoother the path for personnel to request and obtain a similar religious waiver. They also make offerings anything from food to drinks to physical objects to their gods during a ceremony called a blot, he said. He also consulted with The Asatru Community, a nonprofit group that advocates for followers of Norse pagan religions. We speculate that these members, irrespective of race/ethnicity, may perceive this bias against shaving waivers and choose to leave the service earlier.. Seven months later, this reporter could not immediately find any such progress reports. 3 0 obj The same was true for airmen trying to hit the rank of staff sergeant (E-5). I was willfully ignorant about the impact it was having on young Black men, he said. United States Air Force members who refused to take the COVID vaccine for religious reasons will soon get a reprieve from the punitive actions the military took against them.. Commonly referred to as razor bumps, PFB is a skin condition that makes shaving painful and can lead to permanent scarring if the skin is not allowed to heal, which makes it a common reason for receiving a shaving waiver. So far, the Air Force has banned beards for all except those who have five-year medical waivers for pseudofolliculitis barbae, or chronic razor bumps, or religious waivers for those for whom. The DAF will remove adverse information from records of those currently serving service members who sought. Tell me youre an A1C without telling me youre an A1C. That matches the length allowed for people who are medically exempt from the requirement to be clean-shaven. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. In December, The Air Force released a sweeping review which found that Black service members are disproportionately punished and promoted more slowly when compared to their White peers. Powered by GoDaddy This website uses cookies. Does anyone have any information on how you actually get a religious exemption for shaving? Big news today for the many airmen out there who want to grow out their beards: not only is there little evidence showing that beards interfere with a gas mask seal, but the Air Forces ban on beards may also be contributing to racial discrimination and hurting promotion opportunities within the service. DAFI52-201 23 JUNE 2021 5 Written request for accommodation received by No Sikh American should have to choose between their religious beliefs and their career ambitions, said Giselle Klapper, Sikh Coalition Staff Attorney. ~pkgEsHh,1%l|hJ The Army last year granted its first beard authorization to a Norse pagan soldier. Click here. Though some white supremacist groups in recent years have co-opted Norse symbols such as runes, Sopchak rejected that and said his faith is not racist in any way. The standards for growing a beard for medical reasons remain unchanged, the Air Force said. So I am not some expert I just watch YouTube videos of the teachings of Islam. I can assure you that we are focused on our Airmen; they are the most competitive advantage we haveand we must get the people piece right.. safety) or when precluded by a compelling (i.e., especially important) governmental and/or Air Force interest. 3.1.2.3.1. In a Tuesday update of the Department of the Air Force's COVID-19 response, the service announced it had approved nine religious accommodations, including eight through service members' major and field commands and one through a Department of the Air Force appeal. Sopchak said that something about the Heathen religion felt more real to him. ak cGeoI0_enzM8_#.Skvv1Nx72!oaBV >q@yN;NG.s;9>/B32:*I=u/x|=3;.m1.DWc(P(mZ XZ We recommend further study of gas mask and respirator fit testing with facial hair in the military population to clarify this.. Save Page Now. According to the Nevada Army Guard's and Air Guard's personnel offices, the state has eight Guardsmen - four Soldiers and four Airmen - who declare Pagan as their religious preference. Staff Sgt. Get your daily fix of Air Force news delivered right to your inbox every day. In a June 18 memo, Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Dorothy Hogg authorized the longer shaving waivers for airmen with pseudofolliculitis barbae, or razor bumps, effective immediately. There is no potential timeline for approval, because it isnt even at that stage, she said. That study, which involved 798 airmen responding to emailed surveys, called for more research and data on the subject. At the end of the day, while we are continually out in front with initiatives that provide more opportunities for our airmen to serve to their full potential, we are cognizant that we are part of a broader military force.. Community for current and past members of the US Air Force. 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Wright, who is Black, said he resolved his own shaving irritation by learning how to shave in a way that would not irritate his skin, so he assumed other airmen would be able to resolve their irritation the same way. Based on the Air Force regulation, a disapproval should be based on real (not theoretical) compelling government interest (i.e. Thanks for attaching this, it seems like a simple enough process to get the accommodation. Paragraph 1.5.2.3 added: Members requesting a medical waiver to wear a beard must submit a letter The Army granted a similar waiver last year, and beard exemptions have been granted for a growing number of Sikhs and Muslims . The services often claim that facial hair interferes with the seal of a gas mask, but an Air Force doctor has found no direct scientific evidence to support that claim. Requests should normally be recommended for approval unless approval would have an adverse impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, standards, or discipline, the Air Force wrote. I can answer the questions, so it is not really a problem but how is that even legal? 28, beards are generally allowed in the military "provided they are neatly trimmed, present a professional and well-groomed appearance, and are not excessive in bulk or length," with the caveat that beards may have to be removed for medical reasons or under orders from a superior. Below are current coronavirus disease 2019 statistics for Department of Air Force personnel: *These numbers include all of the cases that were reported since our last update on Jan. 18. Also, do you have to be able to prove that you are that religion or can you just claim that you are a Muslim and thats that. Editors note: This story has been updated with new comments from Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass. There currently is no clear evidence showing that is the case, the study said. [T]he promotion system is not necessarily inherently racially biased, but instead biased against the presence of facial hair which will likely always affect the promotions of Blacks/African-Americans disproportionately because of the relatively higher need for shaving waivers in this population, wrote the authors of a recent Air Force study. Beard News in Air Force Copyright 2022 Beard Waiver - All Rights Reserved. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. The review directed Air Force commanders to conduct a root cause analysis of racial disparities within their commands, develop an action plan for reporting them, then release a progress report within six months. Shaving Waiver stigma Air Force Medicine medical beard Al Dhafra . Another example of neat and conservative is color. We dont believe that theres a superior race, Sopchak said. By approaching recruiting centrally as a Total Force, Air Force Recruiting, The Air Force last week announced an expansive new ROTC scholarship available to older Cadets committed to commissioning, with the goal of recruiting and retaining more future Airmen in the program. Imagine the man-hours saved when men dont have to go to the doctor to get approved for a shaving waiver, and then periodically renewed., Daniel Walker, another Facebook user, added: They keep relaxing grooming standards instead of giving us things that would actually increase our quality of life.. stream "They were well-respected. Islam & The First Religious Beard in The US Military (Air Force) The first person granted a beard waiver in the U.S. Airforce due to his faith was a Muslim soldier. For military members, exemptions must also be documented in readiness systems (Navy/Marine Corps/Coast Guard Medical Readiness Reporting System, Army Medical Protection System, or Air Force Aeromedical Services Information Management System). The updated Air Force Instruction, released Feb. 7, also formally allows Sikh airmen to wear turbans and Muslim women to wear hijabs. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. Airmen can use styling products on their beards, but petroleum-based products are not allowed while wearing a protective mask. It also specifically looked at the time it took airmen with shaving waivers to get promoted relative to airmen without waivers, and whether that association led to racial bias. And last December, a group of sailors on the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis held the Navys first Heathen lay service. Gurchetan Singh, the first Sikh American to secure a religious accommodation to serve in the Air National Guard, said Wednesday that hes grateful for the Air Forces policy change. In addition to promoting one's own well-being and four pillars, respecting others whose viewpoints differ from them is expected from the total force. The Air Force Times reports on Air Force SSgt Garrett Sopchak, who just became the first US Air Force Airman to be allowed to wear a beard because he adheres to Norse Heathen religious beliefs. Despite being in line with regulations, airmen with waivers reported feeling stigmatized for wearing facial hair. He also hopes to grow the Heathen community in the area around Hill. ;NNB6 j~X3E]4]euu((m#/S>c9K71,E304a;97la@Ejrf-o eP9_$)'"?#EO!orCi=5P@C5TmJY;^qzU/nWXvvRH~]/C >K)a2MuOzZ.VsDNOr%rZR[TINcCPBi!U;$TXA9%9;?&>k37{X]sa`p3Wc1^CKtjBrx\5uI3 Her work has appeared in Air Force Magazine, Inside Defense, Inside Health Policy, the Frederick News-Post (Md. Since then, 21 Honor Guard airmen now have a pass to grow neatly-trimmed beards, according to Military.com. The Air Forces updated dress and personal appearance policy clarifies the grooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans, hijabs and beards for religious reasons. The Air Force on Friday updated its regulations to formally allow airmen to ask for a waiver to wear religious apparel such as turbans or hijabs, or beards worn for religious reasons. Abdul Rahman Gaitan, an aerial porter with the 821st Contingency Response Support Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, was granted a religious waiver permitting him to keep a beard due to his Muslim faith, according to an Air Force article published Friday. I know Islam is iffy on if Beard are actually required but it is apart of the religion that I want to practice. For AFR waiver processing instructions see AFMAN 36-8001, Participation and Training Procedures. The Sikh Coalition represents Airman 1st Class Gurchetan Singh, who is the first Sikh American to secure a religious accommodation to serve in the Air National Guard. Theyre more like family members than they are divine beings, Sopchak said. The hijab, or head scarf, can be made of a subdued material in a color that resembles the airmans assigned uniform, such as black, brown, green, tan or navy blue, the regulation said. The advocacy group submitted a religious accommodation request for Singh in April 2019. Chance Saltzman outlined the three lines in a series of commanders notes published Jan., Thousands of Airmen and Guardians who remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 no longer have to get the shotsand those whofaced disciplinary action for failing to get vaccinated will have their records wiped clean. 1 0 obj During tours of less than 30 days, Air Force Reserve (AFR) and Air National Guard (ANG) chaplains not on extended active duty may request a beard waiver for religious observance when consistent with their faith. The hot towels help stimulate the skin to bring out any oils and sweat that can be used for a lubrication layer between the skin and the razor. The waivers remain in effect even when the airman is deployed or has a permanent change-of-station move, the Air Force said in the release. The female hair changes were not a want, it was very much a need based on health first when I talk with our men in uniform: Is this a need or is this a want?. This condition can appear in a person of any ethnicity but is predominantly seen in Blacks/African Americans, study authors wrote. "Sikhs are allowed to wear beards and turbans because it actually is a religious requirement of their faith that they do so. 19 July 2019. If the idea moves forward, participating airmen and guardians would become the subject of a research project whose data could convince high-level Pentagon officials to allow more flexibility on facial hair. And in June, a Sikh airman received approval to wear a beard and turban. Black men disproportionately suffer from the ingrown hairs that cause painful razor bumps, either precluding them from shaving more regularly or forcing them to suffer and, in some cases, endure scarring. The same neat and conservative approach applies to beards, which must not exceed two inches when measured from the bottom of the chin, the regulations states. Beards are generally frowned upon because of the U.S. militarys longstanding tradition of uniformity and attention to detail as well as concerns that certain gear, like gas masks, wouldnt tightly seal with hair in the way. It marks the sixth and counting religious waiver permitting a beard in service for the Air Force, according to the online military news conglomerate that broke the story. Airmen assigned to units wearing a beret of any color may wear an appropriately-colored head covering as directed by the unit commander, one sample memo explains. Thats according to a new research paper published last week in the journal Military Medicine, which found that Air Force regulations against facial hair disproportionately affect Black or African American airmen and can lead to slower rates of promotion and limited job opportunities within the service. Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. I am grateful to hear of this policy change, because it codifies in writing what I already know: The U.S. Air Force values the service and contribution of religious minorities like me, Singh said in a statement provided by the group. The Air Force in recent years has begun granting waivers to allow airmen including airmen of the Muslim, Sikh and Norse Heathen or pagan faiths to grow beards for religious reasons. The updated policy requires religious apparel to be neat and conservative and not impede an individuals ability to perform assigned military duties or wear protective equipment. Staff Sgt. The regulation follows years of individual airmen and other service members receiving waivers for religious beards and apparel. In an email to Task & Purpose, Bass said the Air Force is continually reevaluating its policies. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced the Space National Guard Establishment Act on, From Abraham Lincoln to the Tuskegee Airmen to lessons from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. In December, Military.com reported that the Air Force Honor Guard changed its policy in April to allow airmen with shaving waivers to apply and join the guard. 0. Wright said he was opposed to facial hair in the Air Force for 29 of his 32 years in service. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. A highly visible sign of changing Air Force policy may soon be evident here at Kingsley Field, in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Published Dec 21, 2022 5:12 PM EST. And in June, a Sikh airman received approval to wear a beard and turban. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. Its unclear how many people currently use shaving waivers. There are plenty of smaller regulations detailing how religious beards and apparel should look in order to appear neat and conservative, the Air Force writes. 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The Air Force Times reports that applications for waivers can now be made by airmen who wish to wear religious apparel or are requesting exemptions from rules prohibiting beards and long hair. The 2021 study found that airmen with shaving waivers faced significantly longer wait times for promotions and were often barred from sought-after jobs such as Honor Guard, recruiting, military training instructors, or the Thunderbirds demonstration team. See Beard News in Air Force for more information. A U.S. soldier who is serving in Afghanistan has received a uniform religious exception to sport a beard based upon his Norse pagan beliefs. Contact the author here. Published Feb 12, 2020 2:11 PM EST. W2~@R>tA);|6[ +XnDnQi\k`LF. The Coalition said both changes were influenced by a years-long advocacy and litigation campaign by the Coalition and its pro bono co-counsel at McDermott Will & Emery. The waiver group also had a greater rate of disciplinary action compared to the no-waiver group (18.96% versus 11.45%). The U. S. Air Force has published new guidance for religious accommodations that allow airmen to wear beards, turbans and hijabs. such as an exemption uniform policy; the from a purchase of suitable, alternative personal protective . Caitlyn Smoyer). The conventional view of facial hair is that it looks unprofessional in uniform. The Air Force encourages religious freedoms of service members as one of four pillars of resiliency to help build and sustain a strong and healthy workplace and community. I had opportunities to hire all kinds of folks and I was adamant about not hiring somebody with a shaving waiver, just because I fell into that category of this is Air Force policy, its not professional, he said. According to the updated regulation, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel, the Air Force allows all such apparel and beards as long as the airmen wearing them make it through a religious accommodation waiver process, that they appear neat and conservative, and that the apparel and beards don't interfere with personal safety. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. For AFR waiver processing instructions see AFMAN 368001, - Participation and Training Procedures. Such a request for an exemption to a military policy can only be denied, the AFI change said, if the policy furthers a compelling government interest and is the least restrictive way of furthering that interest. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. Under the new process, a commander has up to 30 days to approve an Airmans request for a waiver, and that the accommodation will generally follow the Airman through his or her career. Beards cant exceed two inches if they do, they must be rolled and/or tied to achieve the required length, the regulations state. When asked about specific efforts for removing the stigma regarding waivers, an Air Force spokesperson told Task & Purpose that the Air Force changed AFI 36-2903, its regulation governing dress and appearance standards., earlier this spring to allow airmen with a shaving profile to trim and shape their facial hair, and to allow airmen with profiles to apply for more positions in the service. The Air Forces updated policy sets new grooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans, hijabs and beards for religious reasons. DAFI 52-201 is the governing regulation for religious accommodation. Last week the United States Air Force announced that it had updated its regulations, and will allow airmen to seek a waiver to wear turbans, hijabs or beards for religious reasons. Air Force Officially OKs Beards, Turbans, Hijabs for Religious Reasons . ", By For nearly a year, the Air Force weighed a staff sergeant's request to grow a beard as part of his religious beliefs before granting him a waiver, a decision that balanced personal liberty against military readiness, a Pentagon spokesman said. Comer wore a beard with a religious accommodation waiver, but beards in the Air Force may become far more common after a uniform board considers facial hair in November. Abdul Rahman Gaitan in 2018 became the first Muslim. For some pagans, it is seen as a way of honoring the gods and goddesses. %PDF-1.5 David covers the Air Force, Space Force and anything Star Wars-related. Maysaa Ouza became the first Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps officer to wear hijab. The facial hair cannot exceed one-quarter of an inch, must be grown out naturally and cannot be shaped or styled. Airman raises his head as flight surgeon chief of medical staff inspects his neck and face during a shaving waiver course at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., March 15, 2018. Religious exemptions to the rule allow for beards up to 2 inches long. Air Force Special Operations Command has made history by granting a religious accommodation waiver to a Sikh service member. And at least two airmen who follow the Norse Heathen, or pagan, faiths have been granted permission to wear a beard. In such cases, an airman's command could order an immediate removal of the turban, hijab or facial hair (although it's not clear how much time an airman would have to shave). The memo said he can grow a longer beard if he rolls or ties it, but Sopchak said hell likely keep it within two inches to stay safe on the job and keep it simple. In the words of the Hungarian scholar Goldziher, 'The history of religion . He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. The majority of the waiver group was Black (64.18%), despite that group making up only 12.85% of the cohort. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. The Air Force's updated dress and personal appearance policy clarifies the gr ooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans, hijabs and beards for religious reasons. The Air Force also granted its first religious accommodation beard waiver, to a Muslim airman, in 2018. For those wondering, the regulation says that a mustache worn with a beard may extend sideways beyond the corners of the mouth to connect with the beard, but must be trimmed or groomed to not cover the upper lip.. Abdul Rahman Gaitan in 2018 became the first Muslim airman to receive a beard waiver for religious reasons. During tours of less than 30 days, A ir Force Reserve (AFR) and Air National Guard (ANG) chaplains not on extended active duty may request a beard waiver for religious observance when consistent with their faith. In March 2021, after Comer arrived at Maxwell Air Force Base, he started talking to his first sergeant about applying for a religious accommodation to obtain a beard waiver. The Sikh Coalition, the largest Sikh civil rights organization in the United States which has helped more than 20 Sikh Americans serve in the military, applauded the changes. The U.S. Air Force issued new guidelines on Friday giving members who wear religious apparel a way to serve the country without compromising their faith. The Air Force also granted its first religious accommodation beard waiver, to a Muslim airman, in 2018. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) welcomed the policy change. Want to write for Task & Purpose? The Air Force separated 610 Airmen for declining the once-mandated COVID-19 vaccination. Hopper's exemption is the latest example of the military's effort most notably the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force to acknowledge the diverse religious practices represented in its ranks. And if that airman is assigned to a unit that wears a beret of a particular color, the unit commander can order him to wear a turban of the same color. I cant tell you how many hundreds of times, probably thousands, that weve gotten [that] question. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/Annots[ 13 0 R 16 0 R] /MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Contact the author here. Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Isaac John, 423d Security Forces Squadron flight member, holds his position during a field training exercise at Stanford Training Area, England, Aug. 17, 2022. Hopper,. Part of HuffPost Politics. Last August, he went to his units chaplain an evangelical Christian who Sopchak said was very supportive and curious about his Heathen religion who helped him put together the paperwork for his religious accommodation request. Air Force Global Strike Command is launching a new study of cancer risks among Airmen and Guardians who worked near intercontinental ballistic missiles and is developing new resources for current and former service members and their families. You will have a meeting with the Chaplain where they ask you questions to determine if you have a sincerely held belief that you shouldn't shave. Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Staff Sgt. The Air Force is committed to continuing to remove barriers that prevent airmen from applying for, and being accepted into, career broadening opportunities, Bass said in a statement sent to Task & Purpose. If youre willing to learn, we are willing to teach.. The Air Force has updated its grooming standards to formally allow Airmen to grow neatly trimmed beards, standardizing the religious or medical exemption process. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. But if they deny a religious accommodation request, it will go up to the Air Force headquarters manpower, personnel and services directorate, Air Force reserve or the Air National Guard for a final review and decision. A federal appeals court on Friday granted a preliminary injunction allowing two Sikh men to immediately begin basic training with the U.S. Marine Corps without shaving their beards . The Air Force in recent years has begun granting waivers to allow airmen including airmen of the Muslim, Sikh and Norse Heathen or pagan faiths to grow beards for religious reasons. 2 0 obj In 2017, the U.S. Army officially updated its dress and appearance standards to accommodate hijabs, turbans and beards. However, most airmen who have waivers are Black, because they are more likely to be affected by pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) than White airmen. USAF photo by Alexander Goad. "There is no religious requirement for beards in Heathenry," the post read. The comment, which was also shared on the popular Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco, was made in response to a selfie she posted of herself alongside Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall and Airman 1st Class Kyle Voss-McReynolds, who was the leadership teams driver during a recent event and who also wears a beard in uniform.
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