The Air Force has updated its grooming standards to formally allow Airmen to grow neatly trimmed beards, standardizing the religious or medical exemption process. Legacy sites goang.com and afreserve.com will now direct users to the central airforce.com site. Staff Sgt. 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. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Norse Heathenism believing airman gets beard waiver granted, paves way 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. In 2018, the Air Force granted its first "religious accommodation beard waiver" to a Muslim airman, allowing him to wear a beard while in uniform. In March 2021, after Comer arrived at Maxwell Air Force Base, he started talking to his first sergeant about applying for a religious accommodation to obtain a beard waiver. Asatru FAQ: Beards - PaganSquare - PaganSquare - Join the conversation! When asked about specific efforts for removing the stigma regarding waivers, an Air Force spokesperson told Task & Purpose that the Air Force changed AFI 36-2903, its regulation governing dress and appearance standards., earlier this spring to allow airmen with a shaving profile to trim and shape their facial hair, and to allow airmen with profiles to apply for more positions in the service. The Supreme Court today upheld Indian Air Force's denial of permission to two Muslim personnel to grow beard, holding that the two orders were in compliance with Regulation 425(b) which . We speculate that these members, irrespective of race/ethnicity, may perceive this bias against shaving waivers and choose to leave the service earlier.. If youre willing to learn, we are willing to teach.. 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.. | 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 religious accommodation process isn't designed for individuals to play the God/conscience card to get around things they don't like. In the stories, you could see even the gods themselves have flaws, Sopchak said. 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. Given the racial distribution of waivers, this may have an unintended discriminatory effect by limiting the opportunities that these members are offered, the study authors wrote. The Air Force style authorities have spoken: neck and hand tattoos are in, beards are still out. The hot towels help stimulate the skin to bring out any oils and sweat that can be used for a lubrication layer between the skin and the razor. 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. Nearly Two Dozen Air Force Honor Guardsmen Are Sporting Beards Rachel Cohen joined Air Force Times as senior reporter in March 2021. ;NNB6 j~X3E]4]euu((m#/S>c9K71,E304a;97la@Ejrf-o eP9_$)'"?#EO!orCi=5P@C5TmJY;^qzU/nWXvvRH~]/C >K)a2MuOzZ.VsDNOr%rZR[TINcCPBi!U;$TXA9%9;?&>k37{X]sa`p3Wc1^CKtjBrx\5uI3 The Hammer of Thor is available to be placed on government headstones and markers in the United States. 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.. Get the latest military news, entertainment, and gear in your inbox daily. 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. 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. 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 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. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. 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. Get your daily fix of Air Force news delivered right to your inbox every day. While the study did not list an exact difference in promotion times between airmen with and without waivers, it did say with mathematical certainty that shaving waivers as a whole were associated with a significantly longer time to promotion compared to the no-waiver group.. The authors called for wider research in the area in order to refute or substantiate their findings. However, given the most recent research; shaving waivers could play a role in racial disparity in terms of promotions. Rathour graduated Security Forces technical training on Sept. 26, 2019. The hammer of Thor, also known as Mjlnir, in 2013 was added to the list of religious symbols authorized to be engraved on gravestones at military cemeteries such as Arlington National Cemetery. 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. The Air Force Times reports on Air Force SSgt Garrett Sopchak, who just became the first US Air Force Airman to be allowed to wear a beard because he adheres to Norse Heathen religious beliefs. Any links to regs would be appricated. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. As part of the process, an airman must describe the religious basis for and include a comment on the sincerity of the request. He hopes to become a Gothi essentially an ordained priest and perhaps become an official Air Force chaplain. 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. The Coalition said both changes were influenced by a years-long advocacy and litigation campaign by the Coalition and its pro bono co-counsel at McDermott Will & Emery. If they didnt have one, in some of the stories, they were actually ridiculed. Something about what he found resonated, and Sopchak became a Norse Heathen. 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 . There are also exceptions for Air Force Reservists serving less than 30 days. of the Air Force Kaleth Wright, said in April on a panel discussion on male grooming standards in the Air Force. They also make offerings anything from food to drinks to physical objects to their gods during a ceremony called a blot, he said. 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. Based on the Air Force regulation, a disapproval should be based on real (not theoretical) compelling government interest (i.e. But a little more than two years ago, Sopchak was seized by an overwhelming feeling that he needed to look further into these legends and the religion surrounding them. (U.S. Air Force) Airmen will be allowed to wear up to. And. Theyre more like family members than they are divine beings, Sopchak said. 3 0 obj (In heathen lore . There's no more reliable source for news about your Air Force. Beards can also be seen as symbols of power, strength, and virility. Beard News in Air Force Copyright 2022 Beard Waiver - All Rights Reserved. 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. Many airmen on social media called for abandoning the beard prohibition altogether. Airman raises his head as flight surgeon chief of medical staff inspects his neck and face during a shaving waiver course at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., March 15, 2018. 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. Community for current and past members of the US Air Force. Coffee or Die Magazine | Beards in Blue? Air Force Uniform Board Will 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. Tim Chacon/Air National Guard. We are working to take away the stigma attached to airmen who have a medical need or a religious accommodation for facial hair, Bass wrote in a comment on her Facebook page on Tuesday. Religion - Af 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. It is is up to the wing commander (or the unit's equivalent of such a commander) to make the final decision. such as an exemption uniform policy; the from a purchase of suitable, alternative personal protective . Thanks for attaching this, it seems like a simple enough process to get the accommodation. 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 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.. Contact the author here. 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Beards cant exceed two inches if they do, they must be rolled and/or tied to achieve the required length, the regulations state. With regards to promotions, the wait grows longer the more time airmen have shaving waivers. (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. endobj "They were well-respected. The Air Force on Friday became the second branch of the U.S. military to approve the wearing of beards, turbans, hijabs, under-turbans/patkas, unshorn hair and other indoor/outdoor head coverings for religious reasons. Religious groups applaud new Air Force rules allowing turbans, hijabs Sopchak, a 28-year-old aerospace ground equipment craftsman at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, on July 8 received approval to get approval to wear a beard in accordance with his Heathen faith. Many airmens dearest wish may soon come true if the Air Force greenlights a pilot program allowing some men to grow beards. "There is no religious requirement for beards in Heathenry," the post read. I had opportunities to hire all kinds of folks and I was adamant about not hiring somebody with a shaving waiver, just because I fell into that category of this is Air Force policy, its not professional, he said. Contact the author here. According to a statement from the Air Force, Senior Airman Dominic Varriale was granted the turban waiver in 2020. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Immunization Exemption Guidance | Health.mil The services often claim that facial hair interferes with the seal of a gas mask, but an Air Force doctor has found no direct scientific evidence to support that claim. 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. . US Air Force Grants Exemption for Norse Heathen Beard It interfaces with DAFPD 52-1, Chaplain Corps; Air Force Instruction (AFI) . Start with the chaplain, and work with them to route the request through your chain. We recommend further study of gas mask and respirator fit testing with facial hair in the military population to clarify this.. thx. 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. 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 military branch said it will remove "adverse information" from the records of those who sought an exemption on "religious, administrative, or medical grounds and who received adverse actions solely due to their . Staff Sgt. David Roza But so far, the call for beards seems to fall on deaf ears. That assessment, and ability to address and adjust, is critical to our force, and our people. Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. 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 . 1 comment. <> of the Air Force JoAnne Bass, wants to reduce the branchs cultural bias against shaving waivers granted for medical or religious reasons. Religious Beards in the Workplace: Are Pagans Allowed Beards Abdul Rahman Gaitan became the first Muslim airman to receive a beard waiver for religious reasons. 3.1.2.3.1. stream Accommodation of Religious Practices 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. It is unclear how many Norse pagans, Heathen, or Asatru followers are in the military, but they have become increasingly visible in recent years. Central figures in Norse mythology such as Odin and Thor are commonly depicted as wearing beards. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. 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According to the updated regulation, Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel, the Air Force allows all such apparel and beards as long as the airmen wearing them make it through a religious accommodation waiver process, that they appear neat and conservative, and that the apparel and beards don't interfere with personal safety. U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Isaac John, 423d Security Forces Squadron flight member, holds his position during a field training exercise at Stanford Training Area, England, Aug. 17, 2022. 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. Air Force updates its dress code policy to include turbans - CNN 19 July 2019. In such cases, an airman's command could order an immediate removal of the turban, hijab or facial hair (although it's not clear how much time an airman would have to shave). The facial hair cannot exceed one-quarter of an inch, must be grown out naturally and cannot be shaped or styled. If the idea moves forward, participating airmen and guardians would become the subject of a research project whose data could convince high-level Pentagon officials to allow more flexibility on facial hair. >_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 Shaving Waivers: Breaking the Stigma - Nellis Air Force Base Abdul Rahman Gaitan, 821st Contingency Response Squadron aerial porter, was among the first to be granted a religious accommodation for a shaving waiver based . According to the Nevada Army Guard's and Air Guard's personnel offices, the state has eight Guardsmen - four Soldiers and four Airmen - who declare Pagan as their religious preference. Later, every religious trend sought and found the hadiths that justified its principles. But on July 18, the amn/nco/snco page posted a March 1 memo granting another Heathen airman, Staff Sgt. The Air Force also granted its first religious accommodation beard waiver, to a Muslim airman, in 2018. The religious accommodation process is designed to accommodate individuals who can cite specific teachings, traditions, or texts that Air Force policies contradict. 3.1.2.3.1. Bearded Airmen and Guardians? Leaked Proposal for Air Force Test Those interested in pursuing a shaving waiver at Al Dhafra can attend shaving waiver clinic walk-in hours on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., or schedule an appointment at the 380th EMDG clinic during walk-in hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Theres a lot of comparables where Hey if females and women in the military just got their hair changed, how about beards? said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass in April. 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. 28, beards are generally allowed in the military "provided they are neatly trimmed, present a professional and well-groomed appearance, and are not excessive in bulk or length," with the caveat that beards may have to be removed for medical reasons or under orders from a superior. It was more relatable.. PDF Commander's discretion may be used to determine if individual's personal He also hopes to grow the Heathen community in the area around Hill. DAF COVID-19 Statistics - January 2022. The DAF will remove adverse information from records of those currently serving service members who sought. If substantiated, then the benefits of the grooming standards, as defined in Air Force Instruction 36-2903, should be re-evaluated in the context of these findings, they wrote. Abdul Rahman Gaitan in 2018 became the first Muslim. Gen. Charles A. McGee Leadership Award, named after the legendary Tuskegee Airman, will give either $18,000 per year, The Space Forces new leader has definedthree lines of effort he wants the young service to pursue, focusing on combat-ready forces, personnel management, and partnerships with other Pentagon organizations and allies.