air force religious beard waiver air force religious beard waiver

Community for current and past members of the US Air Force. Beards should have been approved years ago, Facebook commenter Heather Britten wrote. The same neat and conservative approach applies to beards, which must not exceed two inches when measured from the bottom of the chin, the regulations states. The study, which was published in July 2021, pointed out that many of the airmen who apply for medical shaving waivers are Black, because Black men are more likely to be affected by pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) commonly referred to as razor bumps than White men. Religious head coverings are also required to be free of designs or markings unless the individuals uniform has a camouflage pattern. Sopchak said that something about the Heathen religion felt more real to him. For ANG David Roza . Shaving waivers can hold back an airman's career, and since most airmen with waivers are Black, the regulations are effectively discriminatory. This is a volunteers proposal.. The authors called for wider research in the area in order to refute or substantiate their findings. The Air Forces updated dress and personal appearance policy clarifies the grooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans, hijabs and beards for religious reasons. The waivers remain in effect even when the airman is deployed or has a permanent change-of-station move, the Air Force said in the release. The Army last year granted its first beard authorization to a Norse pagan soldier. Singh wanted to serve in the U.S. military to defend the country that had taken his family in, according to the Sikh Coalition. The hijab, or head scarf, can be made of a subdued material in a color that resembles the airmans assigned uniform, such as black, brown, green, tan or navy blue, the regulation said. 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 and hijabs. For AFR waiver processing instructions see AFMAN 36-8001, Participation and Training Procedures. As part of the process, an airman must describe the religious basis for and include a comment on the sincerity of the request. In 2017, the U.S. Army officially updated its dress and appearance standards to accommodate hijabs, turbans and beards. Hopper,. dx xE28;eN0ORG*sMhw_2iL!o@/dUKS0sD~-dd!7r.7ucOjP0GH#_&F%)wr-' Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? Abdul Rahman Gaitan became the first Muslim airman to receive a beard waiver for religious reasons. 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 . Wright said he was opposed to facial hair in the Air Force for 29 of his 32 years in service. 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. Asking questions is fine, but how is that even legal? Published Dec 21, 2022 5:12 PM EST. It is is up to the wing commander (or the unit's equivalent of such a commander) to make the final decision. Abdul Rahman Gaitan in 2018 became the first Muslim airman to receive a beard waiver for religious reasons. Airmen in the guard with waivers can wear beards in Air Force ceremonies and duties, but not as part of a joint service honor guard with another branch, Military.com reported. Guidelines for requesting a religious accommodation for a Heathen beard in the U.S. Air Force Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. The Air Force's updated dress and personal appearance policy clarifies the gr ooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans, hijabs and beards for religious reasons. &w\=xi~Wh^iz`b=)!]T;iMC.OXm(+N*uHe{5"@"o$n*uQI'JHyLij%O&Q3 .\nOemNKW2j2ttYK9sll?hyA/fQ/lF\ pVyH0qd~T#o[Bpi*In=mS hU f[6rx~ 8;GO yNb4.A`t`Wj And if that airman is assigned to a unit that wears a beret of a particular color, the unit commander can order him to wear a turban of the same color. The updated regulations mandate that faith-based religious apparel requests can only be denied for a compelling government interest and the denial must be the least restrictive way the Air Force has of achieving that government interest. Since then, 21 Honor Guard airmen now have a pass to grow neatly-trimmed beards, according to Military.com. A member of the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has received the first-ever religious-related waiver, allowing him to wear a turban and keep a beard. HbMc#!6d~\@sQfe_Mp X_T1ew,`CC _O3b eTBo~&aM(AL?z[vEIYf~;LI>*H~BL 3v3!2/)mC*f3d]UL!'7*^LtPNl2"8}Vo=N@&.&|Ye. He also hopes to grow the Heathen community in the area around Hill. A highly visible sign of changing Air Force policy may soon be evident here at Kingsley Field, in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) welcomed the policy change. Staff Sgt. <>>> "They were well-respected. The waiver group also had a greater rate of disciplinary action compared to the no-waiver group (18.96% versus 11.45%). The Brig. Based on the Air Force regulation, a disapproval should be based on real (not theoretical) compelling government interest (i.e. 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. 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. Click here. Singh said that he believes the Air Forces policy update will make it easier for Sikh Americans to serve while maintaining their articles of faith. I can assure you that we are focused on our Airmen; they are the most competitive advantage we haveand we must get the people piece right.. 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 causes inflammation and a foreign body reaction, and over time, can result in scarring. If youre willing to learn, we are willing to teach.. Abdul Rahman Gaitan became the first Muslim airman to receive a religious accommodation beard waiver. The Air Forces updated policy sets new grooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans, hijabs and beards for religious reasons. ), the Washington Post, and others. And. A religious accommodation request must include information including the airmans job, what the airman is asking for and the religious reason for the request, and a comment on the sincerity of the request. For AFR waiver processing instructions see AFMAN 368001, - Participation and Training Procedures. He joined Task & Purpose in 2019, after covering local news in Maine and FDA policy in Washington D.C. David loves hearing the stories of individual airmen and their families and sharing the human side of Americas most tech-heavy military branch. 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. No Sikh American should have to choose between their religious beliefs and their career ambitions, said Giselle Klapper, Sikh Coalition Staff Attorney. 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. 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. Many Asatruars and other heathens think it's wrong for heathens to use this exemption because heathens don't have the kind of religion in which our gods require all their followers to follow commandments in order to achieve a proper afterlife. [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. 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Meanwhile, about 76.83% of the no-waiver group was White. Would beards be nice? Such a request for an exemption to a military policy can only be denied, the AFI change said, if the policy furthers a compelling government interest and is the least restrictive way of furthering that interest. In 2018, Staff Sgt. David covers the Air Force, Space Force and anything Star Wars-related. Many airmen on social media called for abandoning the beard prohibition altogether. | Published Feb 12, 2020 2:11 PM EST. The Sikh Coalition represents Airman 1st Class Gurchetan Singh, who is the first Sikh American to secure a religious accommodation to serve in the Air National Guard. Theyre more like family members than they are divine beings, Sopchak said. It interfaces with DAFPD 52-1, Chaplain Corps; Air Force Instruction (AFI) . David covers the Air Force, Space Force and anything Star Wars-related. According to an Air Force press . Something about what he found resonated, and Sopchak became a Norse Heathen. endobj The Sikh Coalition, an advocacy group that has pushed for changes to the Air Forces dress and appearance policy, commended the move. As described in sample memos included in the regulation, safety concerns might include wearing a gas mask or going within 25 feet of an operating aircraft. The Air Force Surgeon General has approved five-year waivers allowing male airmen with a medical condition causing painful ingrown hairs to grow beards, the service said Tuesday. This is the first time the command has done so. In 2018, Staff Sgt. 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 Still, she called the policy clarification a great step forward.. are divided over that study showing beard waivers hurt careers. Tell me youre an A1C without telling me youre an A1C. Get your daily fix of Air Force news delivered right to your inbox every day. If they didnt have one, in some of the stories, they were actually ridiculed. The study authors found that the long wait for promotions applied to airmen of all races who had waivers. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. Any recommendations made by the board would then have to be approved by Air Force senior leadership, a service spokesperson told Coffee or Die at the time. The wing chaplain or equivalent will then assign a chaplain to interview the requesting airman about what is motivating him or her to ask for it. Black men disproportionately suffer from the ingrown hairs that cause painful razor bumps, either precluding them from shaving more regularly or forcing them to suffer and, in some cases, endure scarring. Those encounters, along with studies like the one published last year, convinced Wright to change his position. DAFI52-201 23 JUNE 2021 5 Written request for accommodation received by Turbans and under-turbans have similar color and material requirements as the hijab. But so far, the call for beards seems to fall on deaf ears. Sorry airmen, you're not getting beards without a medical or religious waiver anytime soon, as Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles 'CQ' Brown and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force . 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. Powered by GoDaddy This website uses cookies. (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. But if the unit commander is going to say no, the regulation said, it must be an unusual situation and based on real (not theoretical) compelling government interest, such as safety. Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. Kuzminski said it makes the Air Force and Space Force the first branches to look at a facial hair pilot program not tied to a religious or medical waiver, which would help normalize facial hair . The Sikh Coalition said the Air Force regulation closely resembles the Army's. Subscribe to Task & Purpose Today. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. 4 0 obj This condition, which the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology says affects up to 60 percent of Black men, occurs when curved facial hairs grow back into the skin. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. 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, he said. There are many religious reasons why people might choose to grow a beard. I cant tell you how many hundreds of times, probably thousands, that weve gotten [that] question. Beards could be two months away in the Air Force. The female hair changes were not a want, it was very much a need based on health first when I talk with our men in uniform: Is this a need or is this a want?. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. 173rd Fighter Wing Airmen may begin taking advantage of new uniform regulations allowing religious exemptions such as beards, hijabs, and turbans while in uniform. Also, do you have to be able to prove that you are that religion or can you just claim that you are a Muslim and thats that. According to a statement from the Air Force, Senior Airman Dominic Varriale was granted the turban waiver in 2020. The Nevada Army Guard said that Sgt. Yes, Navy Seals can grow beards. Accommodation of Religious Practices in the Air Force. Airmen can use styling products on their beards, but petroleum-based products are not allowed while wearing a protective mask. 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. Sopchak said in a Tuesday interview that in the old sagas, a beard was a sign someone was a respected member of the community who could be trusted to help others. 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. If you saw a man that had a beard, you could almost guarantee that they were a good person, that you could go to them for help," Sopchak said. Beard hair longer than two inches must be rolled and/or tied to achieve the required length. According to the regulation, turbans, hijabs, under-turbans or other headwear must be plain, dark blue, black, and free of designs or markings except when matching with the airman's camouflage uniform. . We recommend further study of gas mask and respirator fit testing with facial hair in the military population to clarify this.. Be aware though, that the belief must be sincere, which means you will likely be interviewed by the chaplain about your beliefs, and they will advise your CC on whether or not your beliefs are sincere, or you're just trying to get a beard. The move came as a result of the Army authorizing beards for religious soldiers in January 2017 as part of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a move specifically enacted for Sikh soldiers. The new study found that airmen with shaving waivers faced significantly longer wait times for promotions and were often barred from sought-after jobs such as Honor Guard, recruiting, military training instructors, or the Thunderbirds demonstration team. of the Air Force Kaleth Wright, said in April on a panel discussion on male grooming standards in the Air Force. William Bailey received a waiver to grow a beard March 1, according to an Air Force memo posted in July to the amn/nco/snco Facebook page. The religious accommodation process isn't designed for individuals to play the God/conscience card to get around things they don't like. Requests should normally be recommended for approval unless approval would have an adverse impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, standards, or discipline, the Air Force wrote. And last December, a group of sailors on the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis held the Navys first Heathen lay service. Now, updated Air Force regulations make clearer and smoother the path for personnel to request and obtain a similar religious waiver. When requests are precluded by military necessity, commanders and supervisors should seek reasonable alternatives.. Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel, Airman 1st Class Harpreetinder Singh Bajwa. One civilian study from 2018 showed that 98% of study participants with an eighth-inch of beard passed the fit test with respirators that are similar to the M-50 gas masks used in the military in terms of material and fit. Requests should normally be recommended for approval unless approval would have an adverse impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, standards or discipline, the regulation said. The studys findings are particularly significant because they come at a time when the Air Force is reckoning with racial disparities in the service overall. Thanks for attaching this, it seems like a simple enough process to get the accommodation. For a long time, the old Norse mythology of Odin, Thor and Ragnark was just that for Staff Sgt. (U.S. Air Force) Airmen will be allowed to wear up to. The 2021 study found that airmen with shaving waivers faced significantly longer wait times for promotions and were often barred from sought-after jobs such as Honor Guard, recruiting, military training instructors, or the Thunderbirds demonstration team. By The Sikh Coalition, an advocacy group which works on behalf of Sikhs and other religious minorities in the military, praised the new regulation. Some pagans might choose to grow a beard in order to express their religious identity or beliefs. Airmens facial hair also cannot interfere with the wear of personal protective equipment such as gas masks, the Air Force said, and airmen must be able to continue to perform their duties. Maysaa Ouza, the first Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps officer to wear the hijab, was also featured in a short NBC documentary last year. 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. Sounds like you might want to talk to your local chaplain team. 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. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. endobj 1st Class Benjamin . The advocacy group submitted a religious accommodation request for Singh in April 2019. Central figures in Norse mythology such as Odin and Thor are commonly depicted as wearing beards. Directly before me was one of the mirrors I have mentioned, in which I saw reflected the tall shape of my friend, Mr. Jennings, leaning over my shoulder, and reading the page at which I was busy, and with a face so dark and wild that I . 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. Sample accommodation request memos included with the regulation said that the Air Force can order an airman to immediately shave or remove their turban or hijab if they need to be ready to wear a gas mask during an emergency. The real challenge is how do you change the culture, not just in the Air Force but in the services period.. Its a little scraggly right now, Sopchak said. Isnt the whole point of religious freedom that people CANT do that? This new study shows that changing beard regulations may actually be a need, rather than a want, because the current policy essentially discriminates against Black airmen. The religious beard exemption in the US army was created for the benefit of Sikhs. safety) or when precluded by a compelling (i.e., especially important) governmental and/or Air Force interest. Hijabs, turbans and under-turbans (also known as patkas) should be free of designs and made of a subdued material in a color that closely resembles ones uniform. The military branch . 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.