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By KONSTANTIN TOROPIN
WASHINGTON (AP) — Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered that troops who want an exemption from shaving their facial hair for longer than a 12 months ought to get kicked out of the service.
Whereas commanders are nonetheless capable of difficulty service members exemptions from shaving — a coverage that has existed for many years — they’ll now have to return with a medical remedy plan, Hegseth mentioned in an Aug. 20 memo made public Monday. Troops who nonetheless want remedy after a 12 months shall be separated from service, the memo says.
“The Division should stay vigilant in sustaining the grooming requirements which underpin the warrior ethos,” Hegseth wrote in his memo.
Most shaving waivers are for troops identified with pseudofolliculitis barbae, or PFB, a situation wherein hair curls again into the pores and skin after shaving and causes irritation. It’s a situation that disproportionately impacts Black males.
The memo is silent on what remedies the navy would provide for troops affected by the brand new coverage or if it would entrance the fee for these remedies.
It is usually unclear if insurance policies like broad exemptions from shaving for particular forces troops who’re in operational settings or troopers stationed within the Arctic climates of Alaska the place shaving can pose a medical hazard within the excessive chilly shall be affected by the change.
The announcement applies to all of the navy companies. The Military this week introduced its personal grooming commonplace replace, which considerably adjustments acceptable look requirements for troopers, particularly for ladies, together with revisions for nails, hairstyles, earrings and make-up.
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