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Staff Sgt. Sopchak said that something about the Heathen religion felt more real to him. Beard News in Air Force Copyright 2022 Beard Waiver - All Rights Reserved. Hopper's exemption is the latest example of the military's effort most notably the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force to acknowledge the diverse religious practices represented in its ranks. ooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans, hijabs and beards for religious reasons. Wing commanders or other leaders at major commands, numbered air forces or other organizations will then approve or deny such a request. The Air Force has cited razor bumps in the past when making changes to its grooming policy. of the Air Force JoAnne Bass, wants to reduce the branchs cultural bias against shaving waivers granted for medical or religious reasons. A California-based airman has become the first Muslim airman to receive a beard waiver after a 2014 policy. Sopchak said he was originally raised Baptist, but has not been a Christian for a long time. 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. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. One Facebook commenter questioned why the Air Force needs a separate pilot program when it could study those who already have shaving waivers. It was approved in September, which means Singh will soon head to basic training. Religious beards in the military were allowed in 2017. 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. Legacy sites goang.com and afreserve.com will now direct users to the central airforce.com site. Staff Sgt. Does anyone have any information on how you actually get a religious exemption for shaving? But on July 18, the amn/nco/snco page posted a March 1 memo granting another Heathen airman, Staff Sgt. The Hammer of Thor is available to be placed on government headstones and markers in the United States. The Army granted a similar waiver last year, and beard exemptions have been granted for a growing number of Sikhs and Muslims . It interfaces with DAFPD 52-1, Chaplain Corps; Air Force Instruction (AFI) . US Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jackson Manske. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. A federal appeals court on Friday granted a preliminary injunction allowing two Sikh men to immediately begin basic training with the U.S. Marine Corps without shaving their beards . endobj Abdul Rahman Gaitan, an aerial porter with the 821st Contingency Response Support Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, was granted a religious waiver permitting him to keep a beard due to his Muslim faith, according to an Air Force article published Friday. 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. Published Feb 12, 2020 2:11 PM EST. Sure, but how about competitive pay and benefits? 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. The military branch . In 2020, the department extended shaving waivers for those diagnosed with razor bumps from one year to five years. The regulation follows years of individual airmen and other service members receiving waivers for religious beards and apparel. 3 0 obj % 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. 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. Shaving Waiver stigma Air Force Medicine medical beard Al Dhafra . Rathour graduated Security Forces technical training on Sept. 26, 2019. There could be more studies of this topic to come. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. Commonly referred to as razor bumps, 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. 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. 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 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. Caitlyn Smoyer). There are many religious reasons why people might choose to grow a beard. Tell me youre an A1C without telling me youre an A1C. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. As of Jan. 21, the Air Force has administratively separated 111 active duty Airmen. FILE PHOTO: U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. 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. According to a statement from the Air Force, Senior Airman Dominic Varriale was granted the turban waiver in 2020. I can answer the questions, so it is not really a problem but how is that even legal? Gurchetan Singh, the first Sikh American to secure a religious accommodation to serve in the Air National Guard, said Wednesday that hes grateful for the Air Forces policy change. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Sopchak said hes recently had some airmen, who were interested in exploring his religion, email him with questions, and hes helping other Air Force Heathens get their beards approved. In December, The Air Force released a sweeping review which found that Black service members are disproportionately punished and promoted more slowly when compared to their White peers. The idea would let participating airmen sport well-kept beards no longer than one-quarter inch, Military.com first reported Monday. 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. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. I was the typical senior leader chief that didnt think airmen with a shaving waiver belonged in the front office, one of the branchs most beloved former senior leaders, retired Chief Master Sgt. 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. The Air Force plans to update its Air Force Instruction regulations governing dress and personal appearance and medical care management to reflect this change. 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. 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. endobj I have an approved religious accommodation and have gotten pretty knowledgeable on the process. The Nevada Army Guard said that Sgt. The standards for growing a beard for medical reasons remain unchanged, the Air Force said. In an email to Task & Purpose, Bass said the Air Force is continually reevaluating its policies. The new AFI formally allows requests for waivers, and for neat and conservative beards that present a professional appearance. 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. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. 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. 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Chapter IV - Four Eyes Were Reading the Passage I was running the head of my pencil-case along the line as I read it, and something caused me to raise my eyes. Others mused that more people would enlist if beards were allowed. 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. Rather than delay his enlistment, Comer decided to shave his beard and apply for the accommodation at a later date. It is is up to the wing commander (or the unit's equivalent of such a commander) to make the final decision. Air Force Global Strike Command is launching a new study of cancer risks among Airmen and Guardians who worked near intercontinental ballistic missiles and is developing new resources for current and former service members and their families. 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. Save Page Now. Hopper,. This is a volunteers proposal.. 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. A sample memo also said that an airman wearing a turban could be ordered to remove it if he goes within 25 feet of an operating aircraft. Wright said he was opposed to facial hair in the Air Force for 29 of his 32 years in service. However, given the most recent research; shaving waivers could play a role in racial disparity in terms of promotions. In 2018, Staff Sgt. Another example of neat and conservative is color. 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. Theyre more like family members than they are divine beings, Sopchak said. +BEeB5JiTx 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 . There's no more reliable source for news about your Air Force. %PDF-1.5 | 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. In 2018, Staff Sgt. You will have a meeting with the Chaplain where they ask you questions to determine if you have a sincerely held belief that you shouldn't shave. This is an update to AFI 36-2903, "Dress and personal appearance of Air Force Personnel," and it will allow the headdress to be worn provided it is "neat and conservative" and that the airmen present a professional . . "Sikhs are allowed to wear beards and turbans because it actually is a religious requirement of their faith that they do so. 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. 1 0 obj Community for current and past members of the US Air Force. 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.