In December, Military.com reported that the Air Force Honor Guard changed its policy in April to allow airmen with shaving waivers to apply and join the guard. 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. During tours of less than 30 days, A ir 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. And. The Brig. thx. Those encounters, along with studies like the one published last year, convinced Wright to change his position. Abdul Rahman Gaitan became the first Muslim airman to receive a beard waiver for religious reasons. A chaplain must then interview the requesting airman and submit a recommendation to the wing chaplain (or the unit's equivalent of a wing chaplain). Eugene Oliver/U.S. What happens when patients disagree with an exemption decision? Friday's regulation formalizes such waivers into a multi-step review process. This means that even though the study measured only about 4% of all male airmen, the findings would likely be similar if extended to the entire branch. David covers the Air Force, Space Force and anything Star Wars-related. 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. ~pkgEsHh,1%l|hJ When requests are precluded by military necessity, commanders and supervisors should seek reasonable alternatives.. Under the new process, a commander has up to 30 days to approve an Airmans request for a waiver, and that the accommodation will generally follow the Airman through his or her career. Her work has appeared in Air Force Magazine, Inside Defense, Inside Health Policy, the Frederick News-Post (Md. purifying respirators and controlled air purifying respirators or beard-bands: 3. work just as well as N95s, but may cost more, and thus may be found to impose . For military members, exemptions must also be documented in readiness systems (Navy/Marine Corps/Coast Guard Medical Readiness Reporting System, Army Medical Protection System, or Air Force Aeromedical Services Information Management System). 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. 8[/6&ip1~E5\h|#_W7AO2#+S_*wQ2I1jg!zx 6FTUqepk9v i*z]D@s;3c~52YJSR04P_dZgLA-Xh YWX,&"qp6bY ?HD]SL%d9n4%;uwR"d"4X Theyre more like family members than they are divine beings, Sopchak said. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Sopchak said he was originally raised Baptist, but has not been a Christian for a long time. There are also exceptions for Air Force Reservists serving less than 30 days. The Sikh Coalition, an advocacy group that has pushed for changes to the Air Forces dress and appearance policy, commended the move. Subscribe to Task & Purpose Today. 1st Class Benjamin . He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. Central figures in Norse mythology such as Odin and Thor are commonly depicted as wearing beards. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. For a long time, the old Norse mythology of Odin, Thor and Ragnark was just that for Staff Sgt. The Air Force, citing privacy concerns, declined to identify how many airmen have obtained waivers based on religious exemptions but said the publicity surrounding approvals in recent years has . W2~@R>tA);|6[ +XnDnQi\k`LF. Abdul Rahman Gaitan in 2018 became the first Muslim airman to receive a beard waiver for religious reasons. It must also include a photo or description of the head covering, religious-affiliated item, grooming standard or personal appearance that is being requested. . Beard News in Air Force Copyright 2022 Beard Waiver - All Rights Reserved. There could be more studies of this topic to come. The study could provide ammunition for airmen who really want to grow out their beards, a large number of whom advocate for changing the facial hair regulations on social media platforms like Reddit and Facebook. And in February, the Air Force officially updated its regulations to formally allow airmen to request religious beard waivers. Sikhs have served honorably and capably in the U.S. Armed Forces and other militaries around the world, and while we are eager for a blanket proclamation that all observant Sikh Americans can serve in every branch of the military without seeking accommodations, this policy clarification is a great step forward towards ensuring equality of opportunity and religious freedom in the Air Force.. The Army granted a similar waiver last year, and beard exemptions have been granted for a growing number of Sikhs and Muslims though not atheists. In the stories, you could see even the gods themselves have flaws, Sopchak said. Sikhs have served honorably and capably in the U.S. Armed Forces and other militaries around the world, and while we are eager for a blanket proclamation that all observant Sikh Americans can serve in every branch of the military without seeking accommodations, this policy clarification is a great step forward towards ensuring equality of opportunity and religious freedom in the Air Force.. 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. He is now about two weeks into growing his beard, and is waiting for it to come in a little more before he can start shaping it. Beards can also be seen as symbols of power, strength, and virility. 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. Any links to regs would be appricated. We dont have to hire RAND or Booz Allen Hamilton to do it, but the Air Force needs to want it to happen, he said at the time. While the Air Force prohibits male members from growing beards, waivers are issued to airmen who, for medical and religious reasons, are not able to shave in line with regulations. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Airman becomes the first Muslim to be granted service's beard waiver for observing religion By Jon Simkins Nov 20, 2018 Air Force Staff Sgt. Some pagans might choose to grow a beard in order to express their religious identity or beliefs. However, given the most recent research; shaving waivers could play a role in racial disparity in terms of promotions. [T]he promotion system is not necessarily inherently racially biased, but instead biased against the presence of facial hair which will likely always affect the promotions of Blacks/African-Americans disproportionately because of the relatively higher need for shaving waivers in this population, wrote the authors of the study, a team of eight led by Air Force Lt. Col. Simon Ritchie. Later, every religious trend sought and found the hadiths that justified its principles. 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. of the Air Force JoAnne Bass, wants to reduce the branchs cultural bias against shaving waivers granted for medical or religious reasons. The updated policy requires religious apparel to be neat and conservative and not impede an individuals ability to perform assigned military duties or wear protective equipment. But advocates argue that more sweeping changes are needed, in part because shaving waivers are often misunderstood and hurt Airmen's careers. 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. Beard Religious Waivers in Air Force Norse Pagan, Sikh, Muslim and other Airmen have officially been granted religious waivers to wear beards. Now, updated Air Force regulations make clearer and smoother the path for personnel to request and obtain a similar religious waiver. Published Dec 21, 2022 5:12 PM EST. The same was true for airmen trying to hit the rank of staff sergeant (E-5). A U.S. soldier who is serving in Afghanistan has received a uniform religious exception to sport a beard based upon his Norse pagan beliefs. (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. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. David Roza Published Feb 12, 2020 2:11 PM EST. 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. For those wondering, the regulation says that a mustache worn with a beard may extend sideways beyond the corners of the mouth to connect with the beard, but must be trimmed or groomed to not cover the upper lip.. William Bailey, a beard waiver. The Sikh Coalition, the largest Sikh civil rights organization in the United States which has helped more than 20 Sikh Americans serve in the military, applauded the changes. And last December, a group of sailors on the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis held the Navys first Heathen lay service. Sopchak, an aerospace ground equipment craftsman at Hill Air Force Base in Utah,said other airmen have been emailing him with questions about his faith. Air & Space Forces Magazine is the official publication of the Air & Space Forces Association, 1501 Langston Boulevard, Arlington, Va., 22209-1198. 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. Service spokesperson Ann Stefanek said the proposal is under discussion by the Black/African American Employment Strategy Team, but hasnt been approved. The US Air Force has updated its dress code policy to outline a clear approval process for Sikhs and Muslims who want to serve while wearing their articles of faith. Isnt the whole point of religious freedom that people CANT do that? +BEeB5JiTx Rachel Cohen joined Air Force Times as senior reporter in March 2021. The Air Force in recent years has begun granting waivers to allow airmen including airmen of the Muslim, Sikh and Norse Heathen or pagan faiths to grow beards for religious reasons. Any links to regs would be appricated. 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. He hopes to become a Gothi essentially an ordained priest and perhaps become an official Air Force chaplain. In a June 18 memo, Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Dorothy Hogg authorized the longer shaving waivers for airmen with pseudofolliculitis barbae, or razor bumps, effective immediately. In 2018, Staff Sgt. >_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 The Air Force encourages religious freedoms of service members as one of four pillars of resiliency to help build and sustain a strong and healthy workplace and community. Summary: Secret agent/spy Arthur is part of a private investigation, initiated by Saito, to infiltrate a secret collusion of the world's biggest energy corporations but treacher Tim Chacon/Air National Guard. Yes, Navy Seals can grow beards. Last week the United States Air Force announced that it had updated its regulations, and will allow airmen to seek a waiver to wear turbans, hijabs or beards for religious reasons. Correction: This story was updated at 6:53 p.m. to reflect correct information about religious waivers for beards. The Army last year granted its first beard authorization to a Norse pagan soldier. Currently serving Airmen and Guardians who sought exemptions from the Pentagon's COVID-19 vaccine mandate will see those actions reversed and records erased, a new memo from Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall states. 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. | They also make offerings anything from food to drinks to physical objects to their gods during a ceremony called a blot, he said. endobj Want to write for Task & Purpose? We speculate that these members, irrespective of race/ethnicity, may perceive this bias against shaving waivers and choose to leave the service earlier.. Islam & The First Religious Beard in The US Military (Air Force) The first person granted a beard waiver in the U.S. Airforce due to his faith was a Muslim soldier. 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. Chance Saltzman outlined the three lines in a series of commanders notes published Jan., Thousands of Airmen and Guardians who remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 no longer have to get the shotsand those whofaced disciplinary action for failing to get vaccinated will have their records wiped clean. Accommodations, after all, arent about special treatment they are about ensuring that religiously observant Sikhs and others dont have to choose between staying true to our faith and serving our country.. A staff judge advocate must also review the request package. The Hammer of Thor is available to be placed on government headstones and markers in the United States. The updated regulation said beards must be no longer than two inches when measured from the bottom of the chin, and must be rolled and/or tied when longer than two inches. 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. 3.1.2.3.1. ooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans, hijabs and beards for religious reasons. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. such as an exemption uniform policy; the from a purchase of suitable, alternative personal protective . The AFI allows the Air Force to deny a request for a waiver only if it furthers a compelling government interest., Groups such as the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Sikh Coalition, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations announced their support for the decision, with CAIR saying Feb. 12 it is a step toward religious accommodation and inclusion for military personnel of all faiths., No Sikh American should have to choose between their religious beliefs and their career ambitions, Giselle Klapper, a Sikh Coalition staff attorney, said in a release. For ANG The Air Force separated 610 Airmen for declining the once-mandated COVID-19 vaccination. With regards to promotions, the wait grows longer the more time airmen have shaving waivers. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. Wing commanders or other leaders at major commands, numbered air forces or other organizations will then approve or deny such a request. 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.. 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. At first, it appeared Sopchak was the first Heathen to get a beard waiver. Beards are generally frowned upon because of the U.S. militarys longstanding tradition of uniformity and attention to detail as well as concerns that certain gear, like gas masks, wouldnt tightly seal with hair in the way. This new study looked at a much larger share of data and involved 9,339 valid responses. Kesh, or 'uncut hair' is one of the five religious requirements of baptized Sikhs. There are plenty of smaller regulations detailing how religious beards and apparel should look in order to appear neat and conservative, the Air Force writes. Heres how. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. 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. He also consulted with The Asatru Community, a nonprofit group that advocates for followers of Norse pagan religions. The Air Force plans to update its Air Force Instruction regulations governing dress and personal appearance and medical care management to reflect this change. 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. Save Page Now. are divided over that study showing beard waivers hurt careers. PFB is a skin condition that makes shaving painful and can lead to permanent scarring if the skin is not allowed to heal, which makes it a common reason for receiving a shaving waiver.