Statement by Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell, on Grooming Standards for Facial Hair Outlined in the Rapid Force-Wide Review of Military StandardsContracts for Sept. 12,[...]

After a rapid force-wide review of military standards, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth recently directed the Services to implement the following grooming standards for facial hair.

"The grooming standard set by the U.S. military is to be clean shaven and neat in presentation for a proper military appearance," said Hegseth.

Commanders must apply consistent criteria and appropriately consider the Department's interests in safety and uniformity when authorizing individual exceptions. Military medical officers will provide a written recommendation concerning a shaving waiver to the commander who is the final approval authority. Service members with an approved shaving waiver will participate in a medical treatment plan. Unit commanders will initiate separation of Service members who require a shaving waiver after more than one year of medical treatment.

The memo can be found here.