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 updated Air Force Instruction, released Feb. 7, also formally allows Sikh airmen to wear turbans and Muslim women to wear hijabs. Beards cant exceed two inches if they do, they must be rolled and/or tied to achieve the required length, the regulations state. Sens. endobj 3.1.2.3.1. The Air Force currently prohibits service members from growing beards unless they are granted a religious or medical waiver, a policy that has come under scrutiny lately after military. I will also add, the whole reason I want a beard is to help me with my faith during Ramadan. 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. In the event of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive threat, commanding officers could also ask someone wearing a hijab to remove it to ensure a proper gas mask fit. Garrett Sopchak mythology, a collection of interesting stories but little more. "They were well-respected. Master Sgt. Paragraph 1.5.2.3 should be renumbered as 1.5.2.4. Still, she called the policy clarification a great step forward.. It interfaces with DAFPD 52-1, Chaplain Corps; Air Force Instruction (AFI) . I know Islam is iffy on if Beard are actually required but it is apart of the religion that I want to practice. Abdul Rahman Gaitain, an airman with the 821st. We recommend further study of gas mask and respirator fit testing with facial hair in the military population to clarify this.. Another example of neat and conservative is color. That study, which involved 798 airmen responding to emailed surveys, called for more research and data on the subject. Want to write for Task & Purpose? 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. Isnt the whole point of religious freedom that people CANT do that? 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. 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. requests requiring a waiver for uniform wear and grooming have largely fallen into one of three faith practices: the wear of a hijab; the wear of a beard; and the wear of a turban or under-turban/patka, with uncut beard and uncut hair. Staff Sgt. The real challenge is how do you change the culture, not just in the Air Force but in the services period.. 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. The authors called for wider research in the area in order to refute or substantiate their findings. Sorry airmen, you're not getting beards without a medical or religious waiver anytime soon, as Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles 'CQ' Brown and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force . Paragraph 1.5.2 changed to read: Submitting Requests for Religious, Gender , or Medical Waivers. Here are some active soldiers who have been allowed to keep their facial hair. He joined Task & Purpose in 2019, after covering local news in Maine and FDA policy in Washington D.C. David loves hearing the stories of individual airmen and their families and sharing the human side of Americas most tech-heavy military branch. All told, Brown added two books, two podcasts, and a documentary, The Air Force now has a single website to manage all its recruiting needs, covering Active Duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve recruiting. Turbans and under-turbans have similar color and material requirements as the hijab. The study, which was published in July 2021, pointed out that many of the airmen who apply for medical shaving waivers are Black, because Black men are more likely to be affected by pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) commonly referred to as razor bumps than White men. 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. Air Force Officially OKs Beards, Turbans, Hijabs for Religious Reasons . 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. stream 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. A1C Rathour is the first Sikh Airman to receive religious accommodation, and may grow his beard and wear his turban while in uniform. *!+zu[XAoC_:X/0{ v8iAU}JqQ.u`6fE_GJTBh$Wx)Vpw#7~rDeI0r\!H(NW|/bcPRHBe0tEyXYD q{ 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 and hijabs. 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. Save Page Now. Get your daily fix of Air Force news delivered right to your inbox every day. 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. The interviewing chaplain will then send the wing chaplain a memo on whether the airman has a sincerely-held belief, whether the accommodation is related to that belief, and how the Air Force policy places a burden on that belief. Now, updated Air Force regulations make clearer and smoother the path for personnel to request and obtain a similar religious waiver. Beards can also be seen as symbols of power, strength, and virility. Any links to regs would be appricated. 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. He received a beard waiver on July 8, 2019. Thanks for attaching this, it seems like a simple enough process to get the accommodation. Abdul Rahman Gaitan became the first Muslim airman to receive a religious accommodation beard waiver. 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. Editors note: This story has been updated with new comments from Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass. 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. For example, it took airmen with eight or more years with a waiver about a year longer on average to get promoted to the rank of technical sergeant (E-6) compared to airmen who had a waiver for just a year or two. But his community now meets in parks or homes to commemorate holidays such as Yule and the solstices. The new religious accommodation rules also cover unshorn beards and unshorn hair such as those worn by members of the Sikh faith under-turbans or patkas, and other indoor or outdoor head coverings. 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. 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. Get the latest military news, entertainment, and gear in your inbox daily. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. | First Air Force JAG officer to wear hijab featured in short NBC documentary, Women in the military: Moving beyond firsts, Veterans Affairs drops mask requirement for all agency medical offices, Officials OK some hand and neck tattoos for airmen, Guardians, Perennial pilot shortage puts Air Force in precarious position, Healthy eating on a budget for busy military spouses, Tax scams How to report them Money Minute, Capitol Hill weighs action on two controversial topics: medical marijuana and abortion, Lockheed wins hypersonics contract | Defense Dollars, Go inside a secret nuclear fallout bunker sealed for decades, Another Air Force fleet grounded over fears plane tails may fall off, Pentagon orders engine vibration fix for entire F-35 fleet worldwide, Minot firings due to failed nuclear safety inspection, Air Force advisers study use of satellites for tracking moving targets. 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. The regulation formalizes a waiver process for future airmen seeking to wear turbans, hijab or beards, By The religious accommodation process isn't designed for individuals to play the God/conscience card to get around things they don't like. With regards to promotions, the wait grows longer the more time airmen have shaving waivers. In 2018, Staff Sgt. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. In 2020, the department extended shaving waivers for those diagnosed with razor bumps from one year to five years. of the Air Force Kaleth Wright, said in April on a panel discussion on male grooming standards in the Air Force. Wing commanders or other leaders at major commands, numbered air forces or other organizations will then approve or deny such a request. "Sikhs are allowed to wear beards and turbans because it actually is a religious requirement of their faith that they do so. FILE PHOTO: U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Air & Space Forces Magazine is the official publication of the Air & Space Forces Association, 1501 Langston Boulevard, Arlington, Va., 22209-1198. There is no potential timeline for approval, because it isnt even at that stage, she said. 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. Friday's regulation formalizes such waivers into a multi-step review process. 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. In December, the Air Force commissioned its first female Muslim chaplain . Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Kesh, or 'uncut hair' is one of the five religious requirements of baptized Sikhs. endobj David covers the Air Force, Space Force and anything Star Wars-related. 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. ak cGeoI0_enzM8_#.Skvv1Nx72!oaBV >q@yN;NG.s;9>/B32:*I=u/x|=3;.m1.DWc(P(mZ XZ 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. The Army last year granted its first beard authorization to a Norse pagan soldier. 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. 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. But a little more than two years ago, Sopchak was seized by an overwhelming feeling that he needed to look further into these legends and the religion surrounding them. 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. 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. Airman 1st Class Harpreetinder Singh Bajwa in June 2019 became the first active-duty Sikh airman allowed to wear a turban, beard and long hair, which Sikhs tie in a bun and then cover with the turban. The new findings build off a preliminary study published in December which said that shaving waivers had negatively affected the careers of many airmen, especially those of color. This article has been updated to reflect the fact that another Norse Heathen airman, Staff Sgt. 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. dx xE28;eN0ORG*sMhw_2iL!o@/dUKS0sD~-dd!7r.7ucOjP0GH#_&F%)wr-' thx. 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. There are many religious reasons why people might choose to grow a beard. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. 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. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Market-leading rankings and editorial commentary - see the top law firms & lawyers for Not-for-profit (nonprofit and tax exempt organizations) in United States The waiver group also had a greater rate of disciplinary action compared to the no-waiver group (18.96% versus 11.45%). Heres how. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost. The Quran, too, was used in a similar manner. 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. I can answer the questions, so it is not really a problem but how is that even legal? One civilian study from 2018 showed that 98% of study participants with an eighth-inch of beard passed the fit test with respirators that are similar to the M-50 gas masks used in the military in terms of material and fit. 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. Shaving Waiver stigma Air Force Medicine medical beard Al Dhafra . He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. Sopchak said in a Tuesday interview that in the old sagas, a beard was a sign someone was a respected member of the community who could be trusted to help others. In the stories, you could see even the gods themselves have flaws, Sopchak said. It is a sincerely held belief, but I have not been a Muslim for long, only a couple weeks. We dont believe that theres a superior race, Sopchak said. Does anyone have any information on how you actually get a religious exemption for shaving? Also in 2019, Airman 1st Class Harpreetinder Singh Bajwa became the first Sikh airman to receive an accommodation for a turban, beard and unshorn hair, and two Norse Heathen airmen were also allowed to grow beards. Hopper,. >_fn7dw)>S#a\7]zdWwgsZMA2!2/af>]]I+ .$sMOr])0`F\>-vxX|K h%&ZG2xI%#}pxg@;%rE*q"TY(kfIeWgh&*$|- F'$_L2;&"bw.%i^XxzS\'Z+gQI,=b6)J|Se{Sl)xog`7^}T# N7 x+|B7 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. Does anyone have any information on how you actually get a religious exemption for shaving? (In heathen lore . The study authors found that the long wait for promotions applied to airmen of all races who had waivers. A sample memo also said that an airman wearing a turban could be ordered to remove it if he goes within 25 feet of an operating aircraft. 173rd Fighter Wing Airmen may begin taking advantage of new uniform regulations allowing religious exemptions such as beards, hijabs, and turbans while in uniform. If they didnt have one, in some of the stories, they were actually ridiculed. 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. t7be,2/gQ u7|O;(?lKHfm'*g' I{C In 2018, Staff Sgt. 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. 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. Kuzminski said it makes the Air Force and Space Force the first branches to look at a facial hair pilot program not tied to a religious or medical waiver, which would help normalize facial hair . | Maysaa Ouza, the first Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps officer to wear the hijab, was also featured in a short NBC documentary last year. 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One Facebook commenter questioned why the Air Force needs a separate pilot program when it could study those who already have shaving waivers. 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. Accommodation of Religious Practices in the Air Force. Others mused that more people would enlist if beards were allowed. 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. We are working to take away the stigma attached to airmen who have a medical need or a religious accommodation for facial hair. Air Force). 1st Class Benjamin . This condition, which the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology says affects up to 60 percent of Black men, occurs when curved facial hairs grow back into the skin. Personnel Division," to all sign off . 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. Staff Sgt. 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.. When requests are precluded by military necessity, commanders and supervisors should seek reasonable alternatives.. 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?. 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. Its an unsubstantiated claim, dermatologist Lt. Col. Simon Ritchie told Task & Purpose in May. 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. Sure, but how about competitive pay and benefits? The study would require only 100 to 150 service members, he said. 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 update to AFI 36-2903, Dress and personal appearance of Air Force personnel, allows airmen to request a waiver to wear religious apparel, as long as they are neat and conservative and present a professional and well-groomed appearance. . And at least two airmen who follow the Norse Heathen, or pagan, faiths have been granted permission to wear a beard. That assessment, and ability to address and adjust, is critical to our force, and our people. Capt. Tell me youre an A1C without telling me youre an A1C. He joined Task & Purpose in 2019, after covering local news in Maine and FDA policy in Washington D.C. David loves hearing the stories of individual airmen and their families and sharing the human side of Americas most tech-heavy military branch. Contact the author here. That was followed up by more leaked slides in October which promised that an updated facial hair standard would be considered at a November meeting of the Air Force Uniform Board, Coffee or Die Magazine reported. 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. Air Force Special Operations Command has made history by granting a religious accommodation waiver to a Sikh service member. 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. (Garrett Sopchak) For nearly a year, the Air Force weighed a staff sergeant's request to grow a beard as part of his religious beliefs before. Religious beards in the military were allowed in 2017. Still, Ritchie called for a study to come up with a conclusive answer. Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel, Airman 1st Class Harpreetinder Singh Bajwa. Gen. Charles A. McGee Leadership Award, named after the legendary Tuskegee Airman, will give either $18,000 per year, The Space Forces new leader has definedthree lines of effort he wants the young service to pursue, focusing on combat-ready forces, personnel management, and partnerships with other Pentagon organizations and allies. 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. Published Feb 12, 2020 2:11 PM EST. <>>> A staff judge advocate must also review the request package. William Bailey, received a waiver to grow a beard in March.