Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has emphasized the enforcement of grooming and appearance standards while simultaneously overriding services and lifting suspensions of pilots who may have failed to follow protocol.
Hegseth was recently left frustrated about the implementation of his appearance-based policy changes after seeing service members who did not meet the new standards during a recent visit to troops in the Middle East, according to CNN. Shortly after that visit, Pentagon officials told subordinates that the secretary was monitoring the implementation of his changes and wanted to see the directives move faster.
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“Secretary Hegseth maintains the highest expectations for our service members to uphold the professional standards of appearance, fitness, and discipline that define our warfighting force, and he continues to emphasize consistent enforcement of hair, weight, and grooming standards across all ranks,” Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told the Washington Examiner.
He added: “Commanders at every level are expected to lead by example by meeting these standards, implementing these requirements, and they will be held accountable for delivering results as the Department works to restore a culture of excellence and readiness. Our Armed Forces are stronger when every service member meets and exceeds these expectations.”
Hegseth himself addressed the subject during a Friday appearance at Turning Point USA’s Chapter Leadership Summit, where he reiterated that he wants the military to be “fit, not fat,” and that letting the “small stuff” slide, including facial hair beyond regulation, can have a cascading effect.
A new Navy guidance revealed stricter regulations on conditions that had previously been an acceptable excuse for a waiver of the shaving requirements. The service will no longer issue indefinite shaving waivers to sailors who suffer from skin conditions caused by shaving, such as pseudofolliculitis barbae; instead, those troops will have to seek a 90-day waiver to undergo treatment. Commanders are allowed to grant up to four 90-day waivers before they must recommend that the individual be separated from the service.
“Permanent conditions will result in evaluation for administrative separation,” the new guidance said. “Commands shall process personnel determined to have an unmanageable Permanent Condition for administrative separation due to failure to comply with grooming standards after 12 consecutive months of medical treatment.”
PFB is a condition in which a hair curls back into and underneath the skin, causing irritation. It primarily affects black men, which has raised questions about race regarding the policy.
Hegseth first issued a grooming memorandum last August, which originated from the Navy’s rule.
Alex Plitsas, a former Army soldier and current Atlantic Council expert, told the Washington Examiner: “Secretary Hegseth has made good order and discipline and troop readiness part of his mantra since taking over the department. He has taken an issue with the large number of shaving profile waivers that have allowed troops to grow beards in conventional roles. Troops are supposed to be clean-shaven at least in part due to the need for a seal when they don a [chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear] mask. Detractors would argue that a large number of troops who have been given shaving profiles are troops of color and that has caused accusations of racism.”
Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has long made his feelings known about the relaxed appearance-based criteria for troops and addressed the subject during his speech to senior military leaders at Quantico last September.
“The era of unprofessional appearance is over,” Hegseth said in his address, adding, “no more beards, long hair, superficial individual expression,” and he called out “fat troops” and “fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon.”
Also last week, Hegseth overturned the suspension of eight South Carolina Army National Guard helicopter pilots after they did a low-flying sweep over a crowded beach as a part of the “Salute from the Shore” Fourth of July tradition. The guard initially suspended the pilots from flying duties while reviewing their conduct, though they later clarified that it was “a routine, non-punitive safety measure, not a disciplinary action.”
The secretary commented on social media, “We’ll fix this. Carry on, Patriots.” Hours later, Parnell added, “Effective immediately, the suspension of all involved South Carolina pilots have been lifted.”
The situation is reminiscent of an incident earlier this year when the Army announced an investigation into two Apache helicopter crews from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell that flew near the house of musician and Trump supporter, Kid Rock. Hegseth quickly announced the lifting of the suspension, adding, “No punishment. No investigation. Carry on, patriots.”
Plitsas, in response to the reversal of the suspensions, said, “This is the second time Secretary Hegseth has intervened when pilots were suspended for what some would see as joyriding or unauthorized routes of travel. In both cases, they resulted in positive publicity and patriotic scenes, which I believe the secretary felt was good for the Department. At the same time, detractors would argue that it undermines good order and discipline when field commanders are overruled for discipline.”
