Military facial hair

[KevinYoung]

No beards. And only very small, Hitler-type mustaches are allowed too, BTW.

You're kidding right? I'm curious. Where did you find that information? I don't remember reading anything like that in AR 670-1 (even though that's an Army Reg. and not a Navy Reg.). Still, I'm pretty reluctant to say that any branch would allow any "hitler" type mustache.

Then again, things may have changed since my ETS.

Also, I'm not too sure about the 8 year obligation thing. I thought that if you served less than 8 years then you were obligated to be in the IRR (Individual Ready Reserve). Which means that you remain "on call" for a period time (8 yrs - 4 year enlistment = 4 yrs of IRR) until you've reached a total of 8 years. If you served more than 8 yrs, then you are exempt from IRR because you have served your 8 year commitment. (like I was)

In the IRR, you will still be a civilian and you can live your life as such (not subject to Uniform Code of Military Justice, etc). However, if your branch "needed" you, then you can be required to fulfill the time remaining in your IRR obligation.

Again, I've been out for a few years and things may have changed.

-ky



[/quote]

[Ed Vinson]

http://www.navyband.navy.mil/MUCSaporter.shtml

[lgb&dtuba]

Regs change on such things every year.

Very true. My military music experience was short and a long time ago (drum & bugle corps, US Navy, bootcamp, 1965), but I would expect that one thing will be as true today as it was then, especially for the premier bands.

It's going to be almost as much about spit and polish as the music. The band is one of the places where the miltary shows off its ideal service personnel. They want a certain look as well as a certain sound. Uniform standards will be higher in the groups that are in the public eye than in line units.

Small (and ancient) examples. In the drum and bugle corps we were expected to have an all over spit shine on our shoes, not just the toes like every other recruit had. Our dress blues were dry cleaned and pressed a certain way, not hand washed and ironed. Out white hats had to be shaped a certain way. The point was that we had to look like the idealized navy recruit. We also required a much higher level of precision when marching. All movements were choreographed and had a certain snap to them. It's like the difference between watching a standard manual of arms and what a rifle drill team does. Or maybe the way a gate guard at a base looks versus a guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier.

Those who are currently in the premier service bands can speak to today's reality, but unless things have really slipped far downhill I'd be surprised if the uniform standards aren't higher for them than the average military person's. Maybe not as high as what I experienced in boot camp, but still higher than what is expected out of the average miltary person. Or a post band.

So, if you are thinking about a career in a premier military band be prepared to not only be a superior musician but a superior (looking) military person.

Lifers - how far off am I?

[LoyalTubist]

When I joined the Army, there were a lot of Sikhs, who, because of their religion, had to keep their face unshaven. Most of them were medical help.

The Navy has always allowed more hair than the Army--longer sideburns, bushier mustaches, and beards. When I was a student at the School of Music (a Naval institution) the few student sailors there all had beards, except for the one woman.

And, if I am not mistaken, Pershing's Own sent a rather large contingent to France during World War II.

As far as military responsibilities, Mr. Werden is right about the Coast Guard, since there is only one Coast Guard band at this point in history--there used to be several.

For marines, unless you're in the President's Own, it's the Marine Corps all the way! They go through basic training and learn to use several weapons.

Bands generally reflect the service they represent. As far as which band is the best, they are pretty much alike. I think a lot of people like the Marine bands because they like their neat appearance.

[TubaRay]

When I was a student at the School of Music (a Naval institution) the few student sailors there all had beards, except for the one woman.

There always seems to be at least one dissident.

[greatk82]

If you have bad reactions to shaving, such as extensive razor burn and bumps, it is possible to get a no shaving profile, which allows you to keep an 1/8" beard. It has to be pretty bad, though, to convince a doctor to give you one.

[greatk82]

Here is the Sample Picture from AR 670-1 in regards to mustache length.

[img][img]http://i17.tinypic.com/48ftyqq.png[/img][/img][/url]

[JHardisk]

Here's the Air Force regulation from AFI 36-2903:

A Moustache will be neatly trimmed. A Moustache will not extend downward beyond the lip line of the upper lip or extend sideways beyond a vertical line drawn upward from both corners of the mouth.

A Beard will not be worn except for health reasons when authorized by a commander on the advice of a medical official. If commander authorizes, members will keep facial hair trimmed not to exceed 1/ 4 inch in length. Individuals granted a shaving waiver will not shave any facial hair. Commanders and supervisors will monitor progress in treatment to control these waivers.

Enjoy!

[sandiegotuba]

http://www.navyband.navy.mil/MUCSaporter.shtml

That mustache is definitely not regulation.





http://buperscd.technology.navy.mil/bup ... g2_2_1.jpg


http://buperscd.technology.navy.mil/bup ... 2.htm#sec2

look under section 2201.2

His mustache is too wide and very nearly too long.

I know for a fact that the Navy does make exception for submariners while under way. My two best friends are Nukes on subs and I've seen pictures of them sporting full beards in uniform but only while they're going underway for long periods of time. The reason given to me is that it's an attempt to converve water.

[LoyalTubist]

If you have bad reactions to shaving, such as extensive razor burn and bumps, it is possible to get a no shaving profile, which allows you to keep an 1/8" beard. It has to be pretty bad, though, to convince a doctor to give you one.

My hair on my face grows extremely fast. I have worn a beard ever since my discharge in 1986, except for the six months in 1999 I worked as a security guard at the Sunkist Orange Juice Factory in Ontario, California, after I returned to California from five years of working overseas--I took the graveyard shift so I could air for my ailing father, who had a series of strokes. He died on March 4, 2007. I stayed with him until my mother was able to retire from her career in public education in 2000.

Anyway, when I was in the Army, I had to shave two or three times a day. My face would demand a rest from shaving for about a week at a time. If the pores on my cheeks were oozing green pus (sorry for the description, guys) I had no problem getting a shaving profile from the doctor. In fact, I would have no problem getting a shaving profile from the first sergeant, if he could give one!

The problem was, with a shaving profile, I was not allowed to be with the band in the public. If the band went out for the day, I could go but I had to be in civilian clothes (and there was a strict dress code to follow) and I could not play with the band. I would have to do any errands that were needed. Yes, the shaving profile meant what was essentially punishment. I didn't like to get shaving profiles.

If the band went out of town, I was not allowed to go. I would be working CQ (charge of quarters), a 24 hour guard duty job--to babysit the band barracks (which was also where we worked). This only happened once. There were three of us who rotated days. Hopefully, by the time the band got back, my face was healed and I could go back to playing with the band.

And people wonder why I wear a beard!