Pentagon bans beards in the military

At War Department, Shaving Waivers Out, Clean-Shaven Faces In

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum in August directing the military services to stringently enforce facial hair grooming standards across the force. “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 in a memorandum dated Aug. 20, 2025.  Service members with certain medical conditions, such as pseudofolliculitis barbae or eczema, for instan…

Pentagon bans beards in the military

Effective immediately, the directive requires that all requests for shaving waivers be reviewed by military medical officers.

Pete Hegseth implements beard ban for military troops with strict new deadline

The Department of Defense has issued a memorandum that effectively bans beards in the U.S. military, with troops who refuse to shave facing possible "separation proceedings"