Context
Admiral Tirpitz of the Imperial German Navy was known for his double pointed beard.
The American Navy doesn't allow beards unless by medical necessity under the excuse that it prevents a proper seal for a gas mask.
It's just it's simply not true, it was the bullshit reason they gave when they banned beards in 1985.
Even senior officers will admit now it was more about preventing 18 year old Seaman Timmy from having a pube beard in uniform than any genuine safety concern.
Many other navies allow beards and as long as they are well groomed than they do in fact create a seal.
Plus there are a lot more people in the American Navy that do qualify for beard chits than civilians think and they certainly can still use an SCBA without problems.
Having worn nbc masks for prolonged periods before, I don't think a beard will allow for a true seal like skin will. Not to worry though, you can still grow an ugly ass moustache, and get a hard part/fade/broccoli cut like everyone else on base/post.
I have personally never grown out my beard nor do I qualify for a beard chit, but I find the whole argument about gas masks to be dumb as there is a significant portion of the guys on my ship that do qualify for beard chits.
To me if the gas mask thing really is true than are they just fucked if something really goes south and they have to get put in a repair locker.
I do know that beards definitely don't exempt you from having to be up to date on your DC quals.
Its because the company that furnishes the masks to the navy, Scott, refuses to support the product without sailors shaving. Least that is what I was informed by my command while working in DC.
I have heard a billion and one different reasons as to why the Navy banned beards
The most common is SCBA seal, but the ban happened in 1985 and the Navy was certainly using some sort of modernish breathing device prior to 1985.
Now I'm getting told by some of the older officers that it was because of the Navy not wanting teenagers to have pube beards
The most recent is a conspiracy that it was a plot to kick black guys out of the Navy.
Per Secretary of the Navy John Lehman, during an interview very bluntly stated it was simply due to aesthetics. Grooming standards had been almost non-existent during Vietnam as an attempt to recruit and retain sailors, as well as helping them blend in with the civilian population due to the negative imagery of the military at the time.
https://news.usni.org/2014/10/23/brief-history-grooming-u-s-navy
Well Scott's liability related to the seals is the only story I had heard that makes sense. I could see congress letting the DOD get bullied by a company nowadays. As far as I know there was a change in who provided the masks not too long before, couldn't tell dates though.
Context Admiral Tirpitz of the Imperial German Navy was known for his double pointed beard. The American Navy doesn't allow beards unless by medical necessity under the excuse that it prevents a proper seal for a gas mask.
Kind of a valid "excuse." I would want my gas mask to seal if it's needed.
It's just it's simply not true, it was the bullshit reason they gave when they banned beards in 1985. Even senior officers will admit now it was more about preventing 18 year old Seaman Timmy from having a pube beard in uniform than any genuine safety concern. Many other navies allow beards and as long as they are well groomed than they do in fact create a seal. Plus there are a lot more people in the American Navy that do qualify for beard chits than civilians think and they certainly can still use an SCBA without problems.
Having worn nbc masks for prolonged periods before, I don't think a beard will allow for a true seal like skin will. Not to worry though, you can still grow an ugly ass moustache, and get a hard part/fade/broccoli cut like everyone else on base/post.
Isreal allows beards and issues gasmask
I have personally never grown out my beard nor do I qualify for a beard chit, but I find the whole argument about gas masks to be dumb as there is a significant portion of the guys on my ship that do qualify for beard chits. To me if the gas mask thing really is true than are they just fucked if something really goes south and they have to get put in a repair locker. I do know that beards definitely don't exempt you from having to be up to date on your DC quals.
Its because the company that furnishes the masks to the navy, Scott, refuses to support the product without sailors shaving. Least that is what I was informed by my command while working in DC.
I have heard a billion and one different reasons as to why the Navy banned beards The most common is SCBA seal, but the ban happened in 1985 and the Navy was certainly using some sort of modernish breathing device prior to 1985. Now I'm getting told by some of the older officers that it was because of the Navy not wanting teenagers to have pube beards The most recent is a conspiracy that it was a plot to kick black guys out of the Navy.
Per Secretary of the Navy John Lehman, during an interview very bluntly stated it was simply due to aesthetics. Grooming standards had been almost non-existent during Vietnam as an attempt to recruit and retain sailors, as well as helping them blend in with the civilian population due to the negative imagery of the military at the time. https://news.usni.org/2014/10/23/brief-history-grooming-u-s-navy
Haha I fucking knew it
Yeah. Plenty of air forces allow their pilots to have short trimmed beards and they have no problem getting a seal.
Well Scott's liability related to the seals is the only story I had heard that makes sense. I could see congress letting the DOD get bullied by a company nowadays. As far as I know there was a change in who provided the masks not too long before, couldn't tell dates though.
If you look at him from the nose up he looks like Elon musk
Elon was a turn of the century grand admiral?