Enlisted sailors were much more lax in their standards, especially for submariners. Although all beards and mustaches had to be kept trim, they were often encouraged on submarines for its use in saving water. In other branches, the prohibition of facial hair was largely due to the necessity of wearing gas masks.
Submariners may be bearded, clean-shaven, or "patrol-bearded", growing a beard for the time of a patrol in reminiscence of the time of the diesel submarines whose cramped space allowed for rustic and minimal personal care.
Submariners were allowed to grow longer beards because their limited access to fresh water made shaving difficult. Sailors deployed to colder climates also were permitted to have fuller facial hair to protect them from the elements.
In an administrative message released Friday, the service said that it would now allow retired sailors to have facial hair, including beards, "when wearing Navy uniforms during authorized ceremonial events." The notice added that the hair "must be neatly groomed and be in keeping with a professional appearance."
The decision cleared the way for an injunction allowing the men to attend boot camp without shaving their beards or cutting their hair while their lawsuit continues. Instituted in 1985, the Navy's ban marked a major reversal, given that for much of the service's history, sailors were allowed to wear beards.
Navy officials have said beards can be an operational risk for sailors who have to put on a breathing apparatus, and stubble can cause an improper seal on firefighting or gas masks, which is an essential ability for service members aboard ships.
The invention of chemical weapons ended the affair for good. Beards were prohibited across all branches for two reasons: Hygiene and the need for a good seal while wearing a gas mask.
The ban was introduced in 1985, meaning that out of our 247-year naval history, during only 37 years have beards been disallowed.
Trivia answer: Special Operations Forces are allowed to have beards and long hair so that they have the opportunity to blend in with the communities they work in, such as in Afghanistan, where beards are common. Senka Doležal and 156 others like this.
While it liberalizes many regulations, it does not address the most requested change: the ability to wear beards. Right now, an airman who needs to wear a beard for religious or medical reasons must to get a shaving waiver. The most common medical reason is pseudofolliculitis barbae.
The showers on a submarine are set up much like the ones in your home, well kind of. They have hot and cold water access with a recirculation pump so that the water stays hot so that you can use it quickly and efficiently by minimising water usage. Reducing water usage is a constant major driver for submariners.
Answered on. The consumption of alcohol on Royal Navy submarines is governed by Submarine General Orders. Personnel on duty may not consume alcohol while on board Royal Navy submarines and off-duty consumption is tightly regulated to ensure that individuals are fit for duty if required at short notice.
Most of the crew sleep in “racks” of three bunk beds that are hardly ever unoccupied.
In a break from tradition, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) members are now allowed to grow and wear beards.
Everybody is aware that smoking is a legal, if harmful, stress reliever. So the Navy banned smoking aboard submarines not with the stated purpose of curing the smokers, but of protecting nonsmoking submarine crew members from the threat of heart and lung disease from secondhand smoke.
In the enclosed atmosphere of the submarine, these pollutants can build up and pose a health risk. Therefore, aerosol cans (such as hair spray, shave cream, spray deodorant) are not authorized to be brought on board.
Two of men also had hair 'longer than collar length' with a full beard also on show. Regulations are that servicemen are to be cleanly shaven, with their hair cut over the ears. It also states that "personnel should also not mix civilian and military clothing".
While the standard does not ban beards per se, it does require employers to ensure that bearded employees who are required to wear tight-fitting facepieces trim their beards so that they do not interfere with the sealing surface of the respirator or are not so large that they could interfere with valve function.
The hair on the top of the head must be neatly groomed and not bulky. The length of the hair must not present a ragged, unkempt or extreme appearance and any form of length or bulk that detracts from a professional military appearance is prohibited.
British Army
"There has been no change in Army policy regarding beards, which can only be grown with the Commanding Officer's authority. Exceptions are usually only granted on medical or religious grounds, or where tradition permits."
Whiskers can prevent the rubber of gas masks forming a good seal around the face, leaving the wearer at risk. It's partly for this reason that since 1985 the likes of the US Navy has insisted that all its sailors are clean shaven.
Originally, one of the reasons for the induction haircut was to reduce the chances of disease among closely quartered recruits from different geographical areas (with varying immunities), such as head lice.
Tajikistan. Beards are discouraged by the government for most men in Tajikistan in a stated effort to battle radicalism. Only clean-shaven men can apply for a passport. Beards are often forcibly shaved off by police officers.
Some religions (such as some sects of Islam, and Sikhism) have considered a full beard to be essential and mandate it as part of their observance.
Facial hair is regarded as a sign of virility and authority and thus bearded servicemen are treated with more respect. The Royal Navy has always allowed beards, but never moustaches alone, since the early 20th century.