In brief
As part of a new directive, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has implemented a policy that mandates service members requiring exemptions from shaving due to medical reasons must adhere to a one-year time limit. The revision allows commanders to grant shaving waivers but emphasizes the need for a medical treatment plan. Troops who still require treatment after one year will be separated from service. This decision is aimed at preserving grooming standards within the military, particularly for those suffering from conditions like pseudofolliculitis barbae.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered that troops who need an exemption from shaving their facial hair for longer than a year should be expelled from military service. While commanders can still grant exemptions from shaving—a policy that has been in place for decades—they will now need to provide a medical treatment plan, as stated in a memo released on August 20. The memo outlines that troops who still need treatment after one year will face separation from service.In his memo, Hegseth stated, “The Department must remain vigilant in maintaining the grooming standards which underpin the warrior ethos.” Most shaving waivers are typically for military personnel diagnosed with pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), a condition characterized by hair curling back into the skin after shaving, leading to irritation and discomfort. This condition disproportionately affects Black men.The memo did not specify what treatments the military would offer to those affected by this new policy or whether the military will cover the cost for those treatments. Additionally, it remains uncertain how this directive will interact with existing practices, such as broad exemptions for special forces in operational settings or for soldiers stationed in extreme cold climates like Alaska, where shaving could pose severe medical risks.
