Tim Chacon/Air National Guard. (In heathen lore . The conventional view of facial hair is that it looks unprofessional in uniform. The Reserve or Guard, before finally denying a request, will first consult with the Air Force personnel directorate and obtain a legal review from the Air Force. <>/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>> The airmans unit commander would then decide whether to endorse the request. 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 . [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. It is a sincerely held belief, but I have not been a Muslim for long, only a couple weeks. Staff Sgt. We recommend further study of gas mask and respirator fit testing with facial hair in the military population to clarify this.. Contact the author here. The Air Force style authorities have spoken: neck and hand tattoos are in, beards are still out. 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. Singh was born in India and followed his father, an asylee, to the U.S. in 2012. Rachel Cohen joined Air Force Times as senior reporter in March 2021. Beards could be two months away in the Air Force. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. thx. 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. However, given the most recent research; shaving waivers could play a role in racial disparity in terms of promotions. Subscribe to Task & Purpose Today. 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. ", By t7be,2/gQ u7|O;(?lKHfm'*g' I{C HbMc#!6d~\@sQfe_Mp X_T1ew,`CC _O3b eTBo~&aM(AL?z[vEIYf~;LI>*H~BL 3v3!2/)mC*f3d]UL!'7*^LtPNl2"8}Vo=N@&.&|Ye. . Correction: This story was updated at 6:53 p.m. to reflect correct information about religious waivers for beards. That study, which involved 798 airmen responding to emailed surveys, called for more research and data on the subject. x\[o~d/Sp|A|=hdDPwfvIQuDgg?ydtx.b`1K55'V#wLDP,(Wj Ou5g(O5b5md8_ -+'.$Dvqx)YDTwXD`m_~G ArVT+`oo Airman becomes the first Muslim to be granted service's beard waiver for observing religion By Jon Simkins Nov 20, 2018 Air Force Staff Sgt. If youre willing to learn, we are willing to teach.. Given the racial distribution of waivers, this may have an unintended discriminatory effect by limiting the opportunities that these members are offered, the study authors wrote. Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel, Airman 1st Class Harpreetinder Singh Bajwa. US Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jackson Manske. Beard hair longer than two inches must be rolled and/or tied to achieve the required length. Heres how. 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. Wing commanders or other leaders at major commands, numbered air forces or other organizations will then approve or deny such a request. Chaplains typically can tell if you're trying to BS them and it can affect the perceived credibility of real requests in the future. 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. While these issues affected airmen of all races who had shaving waivers equally, Black or African-American airmen made up the majority of the waiver holders and thus bore a disproportionate share of the consequences. 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 beards are central to their observance, like Sikhs, Jews, Muslims and Norse Heathens. The Air Force on Friday became the second branch of the U.S. military to approve the wearing of beards, turbans, hijabs, under-turbans/patkas, unshorn hair and other indoor/outdoor head coverings for religious reasons. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. In an email to Task & Purpose, Bass said the Air Force is continually reevaluating its policies. Airmen can use styling products on their beards, but petroleum-based products are not allowed while wearing a protective mask. Would beards be nice? 1st Class Benjamin . 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.. 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). endobj 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. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. 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The new version of the service's dress and appearance standards policy allows tattoos up to 1 . Beard Religious Waivers in Air Force Norse Pagan, Sikh, Muslim and other Airmen have officially been granted religious waivers to wear beards. The Supreme Court today upheld Indian Air Force's denial of permission to two Muslim personnel to grow beard, holding that the two orders were in compliance with Regulation 425(b) which . The United States military continues to bend its strict grooming rules to appease Muslims, most recently allowing an Air Force sergeant to sport a beard for religious reasons. Giselle Klapper, a Sikh Coalition staff attorney, said her group has long been seeking a blanket proclamation that all Sikh Americans who wear turbans and beards as part of their faith can serve in every branch of the military without seeking individual accommodations. 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. The study authors found that the long wait for promotions applied to airmen of all races who had waivers. Under certain conditions, commanding officers can order the removal of turbans or hijabs to keep service members safe, the regulations state for example, while someone is walking within 25 feet of an operating aircraft. But so far, the call for beards seems to fall on deaf ears. It gradually worked its way up through the bureaucracy before ultimately being approved July 8 by Air Force personnel chief Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly. 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. There's no more reliable source for news about your Air Force. In December, the Air Force commissioned its first female Muslim chaplain . Abdul Rahman Gaitan in 2018 became the first Muslim airman to receive a beard waiver for religious reasons. Guidelines for requesting a religious accommodation for a Heathen beard in the U.S. Air Force Does anyone have any information on how you actually get a religious exemption for shaving? 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. Contact the author here. Get the latest military news, entertainment, and gear in your inbox daily. In 2018, the Air Force granted its first "religious accommodation beard waiver" to a Muslim airman, allowing him to wear a beard while in uniform. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. The Air Force has granted several airmen permission to wear beards, turbans and the hijab for religious reasons in recent years. The Air Force has updated its grooming standards to formally allow Airmen to grow neatly trimmed beards, standardizing the religious or medical exemption process. No Sikh American should have to choose between their religious beliefs and their career ambitions, said Giselle Klapper, Sikh Coalition Staff Attorney. Hijabs, turbans and under-turbans (also known as patkas) should be free of designs and made of a subdued material in a color that closely resembles ones uniform. Action on Requests for Religious Accommodation that Require the Waiver of Department of the Air Force Regulations or Policies or Directives . Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade use hot towels to warm their faces during a shaving clinic May 22 at the brigade's organizational classroom. Sikhs have served honorably and capably in the U.S. Armed Forces and other militaries around the world, and while we are eager for a blanket proclamation that all observant Sikh Americans can serve in every branch of the military without seeking accommodations, this policy clarification is a great step forward towards ensuring equality of opportunity and religious freedom in the Air Force.. We dont believe that theres a superior race, Sopchak said. According to a statement from the Air Force, Senior Airman Dominic Varriale was granted the turban waiver in 2020. I will also add, the whole reason I want a beard is to help me with my faith during Ramadan. Chief Bass comment demonstrates her commitment to changing the culture, and there seems to be some progress already. Tell me youre an A1C without telling me youre an A1C. There currently is no clear evidence showing that is the case, the study said. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Its a little scraggly right now, Sopchak said. The military branch . Get your daily fix of Air Force news delivered right to your inbox every day. The same was true for airmen trying to hit the rank of staff sergeant (E-5). Contact the author here. According to the Department of Defense Instruction 1300. But his community now meets in parks or homes to commemorate holidays such as Yule and the solstices. Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. 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. The Air Force is first in many things, but in this case the branch came in second to the Army, which in 2017 became the first military branch to grant religious exemptions for beards, turbans. Staff Sgt. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. I was the typical senior leader chief that didnt think airmen with a shaving waiver belonged in the front office, one of the branchs most beloved former senior leaders, retired Chief Master Sgt. Accommodations, after all, arent about special treatment they are about ensuring that religiously observant Sikhs and others dont have to choose between staying true to our faith and serving our country, he said. The push to create a new Space National Guard got a major boost last week as a bipartisan team of Senators offered new legislationeven as the Pentagon works to craft details on a competing plan. Singh said that he believes the Air Forces policy update will make it easier for Sikh Americans to serve while maintaining their articles of faith. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. 3.1.2.3.1. Paragraph 1.5.2.3 added: Members requesting a medical waiver to wear a beard must submit a letter In addition to believing in the old Norse gods, he said, Heathens believe that they are descended from them. The last sentence indicates that Air Force senior leadership wants to be in sync with other services on major changes in facial hair policy. The U.S. Air Force granted its first religious waivers to the military-wide COVID-19 vaccine mandate this week. If they didnt have one, in some of the stories, they were actually ridiculed. 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. 19 July 2019. We are working to take away the stigma attached to airmen who have a medical need or a religious accommodation for facial hair, Bass wrote in a comment on her Facebook page on Tuesday. Community for current and past members of the US Air Force. In 2017, the U.S. Army officially updated its dress and appearance standards to accommodate hijabs, turbans and beards. Beards should have been approved years ago, Facebook commenter Heather Britten wrote. The facial hair cannot exceed one-quarter of an inch, must be grown out naturally and cannot be shaped or styled. Something about what he found resonated, and Sopchak became a Norse Heathen. Sopchak, a 28-year-old aerospace ground equipment craftsman at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, on July 8 received approval to get approval to wear a beard in accordance with his Heathen faith. 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. 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. Master Sgt. "There is no religious requirement for beards in Heathenry," the post read. This is the first time the command has done so. such as an exemption uniform policy; the from a purchase of suitable, alternative personal protective . Legacy sites goang.com and afreserve.com will now direct users to the central airforce.com site. It also outlines the process to request these exemptions, sets timelines for management to respond, and ensures that the approvals will follow someone throughout his or her career in the Air Force. Air Force). The religious accommodation process is designed to accommodate individuals who can cite specific teachings, traditions, or texts that Air Force policies contradict. Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. It took Sopchak about 11 months to get his beard approved. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Still, it seems the Honor Guard has not completely embraced shaving waivers. 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The waiver group also had a greater rate of disciplinary action compared to the no-waiver group (18.96% versus 11.45%). Airmen in need of a waiver could try laser hair removal or chemical treatment, but many airmen are reluctant to undertake them because it could permanently alter their ability to grow facial hair, the study authors wrote. But if the unit commander is going to say no, the regulation said, it must be an unusual situation and based on real (not theoretical) compelling government interest, such as safety. Air Force Officially OKs Beards, Turbans, Hijabs for Religious Reasons . There are conflicting published reports from the civilian sector with regard to the impact of facial hair on P2/N95 [face masks] fit testing, and none that we are aware of evaluating facial hair impact on military gas mask fit. the authors wrote. The Army last year granted its first beard authorization to a Norse pagan soldier. According to an Air Force press . 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. But on July 18, the amn/nco/snco page posted a March 1 memo granting another Heathen airman, Staff Sgt. It is unclear how many Norse pagans, Heathen, or Asatru followers are in the military, but they have become increasingly visible in recent years. With regards to promotions, the wait grows longer the more time airmen have shaving waivers. 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. 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. The Sikh Coalition, an advocacy group that has pushed for changes to the Air Forces dress and appearance policy, commended the move. Those interested in pursuing a shaving waiver at Al Dhafra can attend shaving waiver clinic walk-in hours on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., or schedule an appointment at the 380th EMDG clinic during walk-in hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. DAFI 52-201 is the governing regulation for religious accommodation. Many airmen on social media called for abandoning the beard prohibition altogether. Isnt the whole point of Religious Freedom that people CANT question your religious beliefs?? 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. Eugene Oliver/U.S. The U. S. Air Force has published new guidance for religious accommodations that allow airmen to wear beards, turbans and hijabs. Shaving sharpens the edges of facial hair and makes the condition worse, the college said, and shaving less frequently or allowing the beard to grow helps. As described in sample memos included in the regulation, safety concerns might include wearing a gas mask or going within 25 feet of an operating aircraft. 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. Be aware though, that the belief must be sincere, which means you will likely be interviewed by the chaplain about your beliefs, and they will advise your CC on whether or not your beliefs are sincere, or you're just trying to get a beard. 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. (Staff Sgt. What happens when patients disagree with an exemption decision? Others mused that more people would enlist if beards were allowed. Previously, these airmen needed to get their waivers updated annually. "Sikhs are allowed to wear beards and turbans because it actually is a religious requirement of their faith that they do so. The Brig. If substantiated, then the benefits of the grooming standards, as defined in Air Force Instruction 36-2903, should be re-evaluated in the context of these findings, they wrote. Rather than delay his enlistment, Comer decided to shave his beard and apply for the accommodation at a later date. The standards for growing a beard for medical reasons remain unchanged, the Air Force said. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. As we work to build a more inclusive force, we are constantly assessing and evaluating all of the processes and programs that affect our Airmen, she said. And last December, a group of sailors on the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis held the Navys first Heathen lay service. 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. Personnel Division," to all sign off . Meanwhile, about 76.83% of the no-waiver group was White. The advocacy group submitted a religious accommodation request for Singh in April 2019. The study would require only 100 to 150 service members, he said. There could be more studies of this topic to come. Sens. Service spokesperson Ann Stefanek said the proposal is under discussion by the Black/African American Employment Strategy Team, but hasnt been approved. 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. It interfaces with DAFPD 52-1, Chaplain Corps; Air Force Instruction (AFI) . purifying respirators and controlled air purifying respirators or beard-bands: 3. work just as well as N95s, but may cost more, and thus may be found to impose . Shaving Waiver stigma Air Force Medicine medical beard Al Dhafra . 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. William Bailey received a waiver to grow a beard March 1, according to an Air Force memo posted in July to the amn/nco/snco Facebook page. This condition can appear in a person of any ethnicity but is predominantly seen in Blacks/African Americans, study authors wrote. The regulation follows years of individual airmen and other service members receiving waivers for religious beards and apparel. Kesh, or 'uncut hair' is one of the five religious requirements of baptized Sikhs. Religious beards in the military were allowed in 2017. Currently serving Airmen and Guardians who sought exemptions from the Pentagon's COVID-19 vaccine mandate will see those actions reversed and records erased, a new memo from Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall states. 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. The Air Force has updated its grooming standards to formally allow Airmen to grow neatly trimmed beards, standardizing the religious or medical exemption process. Abdul Rahman Gaitan, 821st Contingency Response Squadron aerial porter, was among the first to be granted a religious accommodation for a shaving waiver based . 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 Air Force has cited razor bumps in the past when making changes to its grooming policy. According to the memo, which was first posted on the unofficial Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco July 12, Sopchak can wear a neat, conservative beard that presents a professional, well-groomed military appearance and stays no more than two inches from the bottom of his chin. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. 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. 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.
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