Beards worn in uniform, the new normal?

[Peter Phillips]

I live near 4 Wing Cold Lake and see quite a few military personnel in and out of uniform regularly. What I'm shocked at is the amount of beards you see lately; I'd venture to guess about 50% of men I see in uniform have them. And the worst part is they range from scrubby, patchy things to full on bushy ones. For those that live/work on or around other bases in Canada, is this the new normal?

I'm not sure how long Canadian troops have been clean shaven (100+ years at least) but used to be you weren't allowed having a beard unless you we're Navy, in a Pioneer Platoon for Infantry, or had a medical chit.

[James P]

Yes, all CAF members can now sport the "operator" look.

[Yeo.NT]

The change in the Policy has been brought around to try and help recruitment into the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). A large amount of the CAF have embraced this new policy but there are regulations that still have to be followed. I do agree there are more then a few members that can't grow a beard and should be clean shaven.

https://www.cmfmag.ca/duty_calls/caf...s-beardforgen/

[rob love]

I suspect it will be like a kid with cookies....you are told for years that you have to stay out of the cookies. When you become an adult, you can have all the cookies you want. But it loses it's novelty.



While the beard does save the daily shaving ritual, it is still going to be one more thing to look after. I suspect the novelty will wear off and we'll see the numbers come down to more in norm with Cdn society.



As for the scrubby beards, at least once a year, guys will have to qualify the gas hut, at which time the beards will have to be gone. So you will be in an annual re-grow period, where the guys will look a little scrubby.



Personally, when I retired form the CF, I didn't really feel the need to shave until about Sundays, when the neck hair started bothering me. I did always keep a somewhat military haircut though, having been conditioned to not like the long hair.

[Ed Storey]

I thought that it was a ploy to have everyone look like they are with 5 Brigade.

[Tim Bell]

Afgan deployment?

[James P]

Originally Posted by Tim Bell

Afgan deployment?

Nope, BEARDFORGEN.