air force religious beard waiver air force religious beard waiver

The Air Force also granted its first religious accommodation beard waiver, to a Muslim airman, in 2018. For some pagans, it is seen as a way of honoring the gods and goddesses. For AFR waiver processing instructions see AFMAN 368001, - Participation and Training Procedures. Ou5g(O5b5md8_ -+'.$Dvqx)YDTwXD`m_~G ArVT+`oo Kesh, or 'uncut hair' is one of the five religious requirements of baptized Sikhs. But advocates argue that more sweeping changes are needed, in part because shaving waivers are often misunderstood and hurt Airmen's careers. Accommodation of Religious Practices in the Air Force. The hammer of Thor, also known as Mjlnir, in 2013 was added to the list of religious symbols authorized to be engraved on gravestones at military cemeteries such as Arlington National Cemetery. The Army last year granted its first beard authorization to a Norse pagan soldier. <> The updated Air Force Instruction, released Feb. 7, also formally allows Sikh airmen to wear turbans and Muslim women to wear hijabs. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/Annots[ 13 0 R 16 0 R] /MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Chapter IV - Four Eyes Were Reading the Passage I was running the head of my pencil-case along the line as I read it, and something caused me to raise my eyes. Paragraph 1.5.2 changed to read: Submitting Requests for Religious, Gender , or Medical Waivers. Accommodations, after all, arent about special treatment they are about ensuring that religiously observant Sikhs and others dont have to choose between staying true to our faith and serving our country.. He also consulted with The Asatru Community, a nonprofit group that advocates for followers of Norse pagan religions. During tours of less than 30 days, A ir Force Reserve (AFR) and Air National Guard (ANG) chaplains not on extended active duty may request a beard waiver for religious observance when consistent with their faith. *!+zu[XAoC_:X/0{ v8iAU}JqQ.u`6fE_GJTBh$Wx)Vpw#7~rDeI0r\!H(NW|/bcPRHBe0tEyXYD q{ He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. Abdul Rahman Gaitain, an airman with the 821st. Eugene Oliver/U.S. 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. The new findings build off a preliminary study published in December which said that shaving waivers had negatively affected the careers of many airmen, especially those of color. In August, images posted on Air Force amn/nco/snco teased a pilot program for inclusive male grooming standards which would allow service members to grow neatly-kept facial hair up to a quarter-inch in length, according to Air & Space Forces Magazine. For example, hijabs must be closely fitted to the contours of the airman's head and neck, tucked under the uniform top, and cannot cover the airman's eyebrows, eyes, cheeks, nose, mouth or chin. US Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jackson Manske. 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. The NATO allies who allow their service members to grow beards also do not have studies showing the impact of facial hair on gas masks, Ritchie said. The Army granted a similar waiver last year, and beard exemptions have been granted for a growing number of Sikhs and Muslims . 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. Garrett Sopchak mythology, a collection of interesting stories but little more. The study authors found that the long wait for promotions applied to airmen of all races who had waivers. %PDF-1.5 3.1.2.3.1. Service spokesperson Ann Stefanek said the proposal is under discussion by the Black/African American Employment Strategy Team, but hasnt been approved. "They were well-respected. 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. Previously, the only exceptions for active-duty personnel were medical waivers. 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. 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. 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. Abdul Rahman Gaitan in 2018 became the first Muslim. In December, the Air Force commissioned its first female Muslim chaplain . The study could provide ammunition for airmen who really want to grow out their beards, a large number of whom advocate for changing the facial hair regulations on social media platforms like Reddit and Facebook. By The U. S. Air Force has published new guidance for religious accommodations that allow airmen to wear beards, turbans and hijabs. And last December, a group of sailors on the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis held the Navys first Heathen lay service. dx xE28;eN0ORG*sMhw_2iL!o@/dUKS0sD~-dd!7r.7ucOjP0GH#_&F%)wr-' The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) welcomed the policy change. Copyright 2023. They also make offerings anything from food to drinks to physical objects to their gods during a ceremony called a blot, he said. 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. Get the latest military news, entertainment, and gear in your inbox daily. 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. 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. In 2018, Staff Sgt. such as an exemption uniform policy; the from a purchase of suitable, alternative personal protective . ~pkgEsHh,1%l|hJ Beards could be two months away in the Air Force. During tours of less than 30 days, Air Force Reserve (AFR) and Air National Guard (ANG) chaplains not on extended active duty may request a beard waiver for religious observance when consistent with their faith. 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.. But his community now meets in parks or homes to commemorate holidays such as Yule and the solstices. 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. ", By 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. 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. This condition can appear in a person of any ethnicity but is predominantly seen in Blacks/African Americans, study authors wrote. 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. 4 0 obj There are many religious reasons why people might choose to grow a beard. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. According to a statement from the Air Force, Senior Airman Dominic Varriale was granted the turban waiver in 2020. This article has been updated to reflect the fact that another Norse Heathen airman, Staff Sgt. The push to create a new Space National Guard got a major boost last week as a bipartisan team of Senators offered new legislationeven as the Pentagon works to craft details on a competing plan. The updated policy requires religious apparel to be neat and conservative and not impede an individuals ability to perform assigned military duties or wear protective equipment. He received a beard waiver on July 8, 2019. By approaching recruiting centrally as a Total Force, Air Force Recruiting, The Air Force last week announced an expansive new ROTC scholarship available to older Cadets committed to commissioning, with the goal of recruiting and retaining more future Airmen in the program. (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. 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. Master Sgt. There are conflicting published reports from the civilian sector with regard to the impact of facial hair on P2/N95 [face masks] fit testing, and none that we are aware of evaluating facial hair impact on military gas mask fit. the authors wrote. Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. is at the same time the history o f the interpretation of the Scriptures.'18 The Sunna embodied an ossified tradition. 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. Central figures in Norse mythology such as Odin and Thor are commonly depicted as wearing beards. According to an Air Force press . The last sentence indicates that Air Force senior leadership wants to be in sync with other services on major changes in facial hair policy. Staff 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 . What happens when patients disagree with an exemption decision? . Airmen who need to grow out their facial hair in uniform can take heart that the top enlisted airman, Chief Master Sgt. Brown Jr. covered a broad range of topics with his additions to his Leadership Library in February. While supporters of current Air Force policy may have anecdotal evidence of one to five people who they see fail the fit test, he said, that cant be extrapolated to hundreds of thousands of airmen.. Contact the author here. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced the Space National Guard Establishment Act on, From Abraham Lincoln to the Tuskegee Airmen to lessons from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. As of Jan. 21, the Air Force has administratively separated 111 active duty Airmen. 7Ndj% The Nevada Army Guard said that Sgt. Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade use hot towels to warm their faces during a shaving clinic May 22 at the brigade's organizational classroom. Rather than delay his enlistment, Comer decided to shave his beard and apply for the accommodation at a later date. The Sikh Coalition said the Air Force regulation closely resembles the Army's. The study also called for re-examining the Air Forces most-cited reason for having a beard regulation, which is the concern that a beard would interfere with a gas masks seal around an airmans face. 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. Under the new guidelines . The U.S. Air Force granted its first religious waivers to the military-wide COVID-19 vaccine mandate this week. The Reserve or Guard, before finally denying a request, will first consult with the Air Force personnel directorate and obtain a legal review from the Air Force. Start with the chaplain, and work with them to route the request through your chain. 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. Isnt the whole point of Religious Freedom that people CANT question your religious beliefs?? Last week the United States Air Force announced that it had updated its regulations, and will allow airmen to seek a waiver to wear turbans, hijabs or beards for religious reasons. ;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 authors called for wider research in the area in order to refute or substantiate their findings. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. 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. And in February, the Air Force officially updated its regulations to formally allow airmen to request religious beard waivers. There currently is no clear evidence showing that is the case, the study said. The comment, which was also shared on the popular Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco, was made in response to a selfie she posted of herself alongside Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall and Airman 1st Class Kyle Voss-McReynolds, who was the leadership teams driver during a recent event and who also wears a beard in uniform. Despite being in line with regulations, airmen with waivers reported feeling stigmatized for wearing facial hair. 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. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. The facial hair cannot exceed one-quarter of an inch, must be grown out naturally and cannot be shaped or styled. 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 . As we work to build a more inclusive force, we are constantly assessing and evaluating all of the processes and programs that affect our Airmen, she said. See Beard News in Air Force for more information. It is is up to the wing commander (or the unit's equivalent of such a commander) to make the final decision. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 1 comment. The Air Force plans to update its Air Force Instruction regulations governing dress and personal appearance and medical care management to reflect this change. Imagine the man-hours saved when men dont have to go to the doctor to get approved for a shaving waiver, and then periodically renewed., Daniel Walker, another Facebook user, added: They keep relaxing grooming standards instead of giving us things that would actually increase our quality of life.. William Bailey, received a waiver to grow a beard in March. The conventional view of facial hair is that it looks unprofessional in uniform. Get your daily fix of Air Force news delivered right to your inbox every day. Still, Ritchie called for a study to come up with a conclusive answer. 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. thx. . 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. In 2018, Staff Sgt. For AFR waiver processing instructions see AFMAN 36-8001, Participation and Training Procedures. Staff Sgt. And in June, a Sikh airman received approval to wear a beard and turban. Heres how. So far, the Air Force has banned beards for all except those who have five-year medical waivers for pseudofolliculitis barbae, or chronic razor bumps, or religious waivers for those for whom beards are central to their observance, like Sikhs, Jews, Muslims and Norse Heathens. The Air Force on Friday updated its regulations to formally allow airmen to ask for a waiver to wear religious apparel such as turbans or hijabs, or beards worn for religious reasons. Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. 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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. The Air Force also granted its first religious accommodation beard waiver, to a Muslim airman, in 2018. The demographics of the respondents closely match those of the Air Force in general, the study authors wrote. Less of having to work with skeleton crews, he said. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. Does anyone have any information on how you actually get a religious exemption for shaving? Defense Secretary Lloyd J. 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The Air Force has granted several airmen permission to wear beards, turbans and the hijab for religious reasons in recent years. 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. 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 Air Force has granted several airmen permission to wear beards, turbans and the hijab for religious reasons in recent years. 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. Dec. 26, 2022. Its kind of a big thing, culturally.. While these issues affected airmen of all races who had shaving waivers equally, Black or African-American airmen made up the majority of the waiver holders and thus bore a disproportionate share of the consequences. 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.