Sample accommodation request memos included with the regulation said that the Air Force can order an airman to immediately shave or remove their turban or hijab if they need to be ready to wear a gas mask during an emergency. David covers the Air Force, Space Force and anything Star Wars-related. According to the memo, which was first posted on the unofficial Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco July 12, Sopchak can wear a neat, conservative beard that presents a professional, well-groomed military appearance and stays no more than two inches from the bottom of his chin. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? Air Force Solidifies Approval Process For Religious Beards - HuffPost 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. On Monday, Captain Toor and three other Sikhs sued the Marine Corps in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, saying the corps's refusal to grant a religious waiver is arbitrary and. Her work has appeared in Air Force Magazine, Inside Defense, Inside Health Policy, the Frederick News-Post (Md. Published Dec 21, 2022 5:12 PM EST. <>>> A highly visible sign of changing Air Force policy may soon be evident here at Kingsley Field, in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Nearly Two Dozen Air Force Honor Guardsmen Are Sporting Beards 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. 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. Garrett Sopchak mythology, a collection of interesting stories but little more. Full text of "Planar Handbook" We dont have to hire RAND or Booz Allen Hamilton to do it, but the Air Force needs to want it to happen, he said at the time. Also in 2019, Airman 1st Class Harpreetinder Singh Bajwa became the first Sikh airman to receive an accommodation for a turban, beard and unshorn hair, and two Norse Heathen airmen were also allowed to grow beards. 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. When requests are precluded by military necessity, commanders and supervisors should seek reasonable alternatives.. Here are some active soldiers who have been allowed to keep their facial hair. Religious Freedom andBeards : AirForce - reddit.com William Bailey, a beard waiver. The Air Force, citing privacy concerns, declined to identify how many airmen have obtained waivers based on religious exemptions but said the publicity surrounding approvals in recent years has . The new AFI formally allows requests for waivers, and for neat and conservative beards that present a professional appearance. Seven months later, this reporter could not immediately find any such progress reports. The research studied the effect of shaving waivers on the careers of active duty male airmen. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Despite being in line with regulations, airmen with waivers reported feeling stigmatized for wearing facial hair. But on July 18, the amn/nco/snco page posted a March 1 memo granting another Heathen airman, Staff Sgt. He is now about two weeks into growing his beard, and is waiting for it to come in a little more before he can start shaping it. 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. Religious groups applaud new Air Force rules allowing turbans, hijabs Air Force reverses 'adverse actions' against airmen who sought vaccine Airmen can use styling products on their beards, but petroleum-based products are not allowed while wearing a protective mask. %PDF-1.5 Eugene Oliver/U.S. 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 . 4 0 obj U.S. Air Force Approves Beards, Turbans and Hijabs for Religious 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. Ou5g(O5b5md8_ -+'.$Dvqx)YDTwXD`m_~G ArVT+`oo There are also exceptions for Air Force Reservists serving less than 30 days. In the stories, you could see even the gods themselves have flaws, Sopchak said. Military Approving Beards for Pagan Worshipers - Restoring Liberty Of them, 40 Airmen voluntarily left the service and 14 officers retired, according to Undersecretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones at a House Armed Services Committee hearing Feb. 28. A1C Rathour is the first Sikh Airman to receive religious accommodation, and may grow his beard and wear his turban while in uniform. Abdul Rahman Gaitan became the first Muslim airman to receive a beard waiver for religious reasons. Not-for-profit (nonprofit and tax exempt organizations) in United The hijab, or head scarf, can be made of a subdued material in a color that resembles the airmans assigned uniform, such as black, brown, green, tan or navy blue, the regulation said. of the Air Force Kaleth Wright, said in April on a panel discussion on male grooming standards in the Air Force. Chaplains typically can tell if you're trying to BS them and it can affect the perceived credibility of real requests in the future. I have an approved religious accommodation and have gotten pretty knowledgeable on the process. A California-based airman has become the first Muslim airman to receive a beard waiver after a 2014 policy. HuffPost's top politics stories, straight to your inbox. *!+zu[XAoC_:X/0{ v8iAU}JqQ.u`6fE_GJTBh$Wx)Vpw#7~rDeI0r\!H(NW|/bcPRHBe0tEyXYD q{ Under certain conditions, commanding officers can order the removal of turbans or hijabs to keep service members safe, the regulations state for example, while someone is walking within 25 feet of an operating aircraft. Isnt the whole point of religious freedom that people CANT do that? And in June, a Sikh airman received approval to wear a beard and turban. Air Force OKs beards, turbans, and hijabs worn for religious reasons Directly before me was one of the mirrors I have mentioned, in which I saw reflected the tall shape of my friend, Mr. Jennings, leaning over my shoulder, and reading the page at which I was busy, and with a face so dark and wild that I . 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.. Also, do you have to be able to prove that you are that religion or can you just claim that you are a Muslim and thats that. Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. The same was true for airmen trying to hit the rank of staff sergeant (E-5). Start with the chaplain, and work with them to route the request through your chain. All are welcome. In a Glass Darkly - Project Gutenberg Australia David covers the Air Force, Space Force and anything Star Wars-related. >_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 The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) welcomed the policy change. The interviewing chaplain will then send the wing chaplain a memo on whether the airman has a sincerely-held belief, whether the accommodation is related to that belief, and how the Air Force policy places a burden on that belief. ak cGeoI0_enzM8_#.Skvv1Nx72!oaBV >q@yN;NG.s;9>/B32:*I=u/x|=3;.m1.DWc(P(mZ XZ 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. Don't lie about your belief. Air Force). 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. 7Ndj% W2~@R>tA);|6[ +XnDnQi\k`LF. Want to write for Task & Purpose? We recommend further study of gas mask and respirator fit testing with facial hair in the military population to clarify this.. 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. 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. The Air Force has cited razor bumps in the past when making changes to its grooming policy. The Air Force style authorities have spoken: neck and hand tattoos are in, beards are still out. In the words of the Hungarian scholar Goldziher, 'The history of religion . But if they deny a religious accommodation request, it will go up to the Air Force headquarters manpower, personnel and services directorate, Air Force reserve or the Air National Guard for a final review and decision. The new version of the service's dress and appearance standards policy allows tattoos up to 1 . 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 move came as a result of the Army authorizing beards for religious soldiers in January 2017 as part of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a move specifically enacted for Sikh soldiers. Guidelines for requesting a religious accommodation for a Heathen beard in the U.S. Air Force 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 doctors studied its discriminatory effect on Black airmen. 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. is at the same time the history o f the interpretation of the Scriptures.'18 The Sunna embodied an ossified tradition. 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. OpJAGAF 2019-9, 21 March 2019, Religious Accommodation Request-Norse Sens. U.S. Military Issues Another Beard Waiver for Muslim Airman A chaplain must then interview the requesting airman and submit a recommendation to the wing chaplain (or the unit's equivalent of a wing chaplain). 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. dx xE28;eN0ORG*sMhw_2iL!o@/dUKS0sD~-dd!7r.7ucOjP0GH#_&F%)wr-' 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. Wright said he was opposed to facial hair in the Air Force for 29 of his 32 years in service. Beards can also be seen as symbols of power, strength, and virility. &w\=xi~Wh^iz`b=)!]T;iMC.OXm(+N*uHe{5"@"o$n*uQI'JHyLij%O&Q3 .\nOemNKW2j2ttYK9sll?hyA/fQ/lF\ pVyH0qd~T#o[Bpi*In=mS hU f[6rx~ 8;GO yNb4.A`t`Wj Requests should normally be recommended for approval unless approval would have an adverse impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, standards, or discipline, the Air Force wrote. 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. The regulation formalizes a waiver process for future airmen seeking to wear turbans, hijab or beards, By 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. Last August, he went to his units chaplain an evangelical Christian who Sopchak said was very supportive and curious about his Heathen religion who helped him put together the paperwork for his religious accommodation request. The Sikh Coalition, an advocacy group that has pushed for changes to the Air Forces dress and appearance policy, commended the move. Previously, these airmen needed to get their waivers updated annually. Those calls accelerated earlier this year, when the Air Force changed its regulations to allow for women to wear braids, ponytails and bangs in order to prevent irreversible hair loss and migraines stemming from the old hair regulations. US Air Force grants religious waiver for Muslim airman to keep beard The Army last year granted its first beard authorization to a Norse pagan soldier. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost. 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. 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. . Beard Religious Waivers in Air Force Norse Pagan, Sikh, Muslim and other Airmen have officially been granted religious waivers to wear beards. This article has been updated to reflect the fact that another Norse Heathen airman, Staff Sgt. Some pagans might choose to grow a beard in order to express their religious identity or beliefs. Air Force and Space Force Consider Testing Out Beards Staff Sgt. According to a statement from the Air Force, Senior Airman Dominic Varriale was granted the turban waiver in 2020. So I am not some expert I just watch YouTube videos of the teachings of Islam. 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. Turbans and under-turbans have similar color and material requirements as the hijab. 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. 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. 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. Singh wanted to serve in the U.S. military to defend the country that had taken his family in, according to the Sikh Coalition. I cant tell you how many hundreds of times, probably thousands, that weve gotten [that] question. ooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans, hijabs and beards for religious reasons. 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. Sopchak said in a Tuesday interview that in the old sagas, a beard was a sign someone was a respected member of the community who could be trusted to help others. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. 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. 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 David covers the Air Force, Space Force and anything Star Wars-related. For some pagans, it is seen as a way of honoring the gods and goddesses. Heres how. That study, which involved 798 airmen responding to emailed surveys, called for more research and data on the subject. Army allows soldier to have beard because of his 'Norse Pagan' faith 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. Staff Sgt. endobj I will also add, the whole reason I want a beard is to help me with my faith during Ramadan. Does anyone have any information on how you actually get a religious exemption for shaving? 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. On My Knees I Think Clearer No Sikh American should have to choose between their religious beliefs and their career ambitions, said Giselle Klapper, Sikh Coalition Staff Attorney. Still, she called the policy clarification a great step forward.. This means that even though the study measured only about 4% of all male airmen, the findings would likely be similar if extended to the entire branch. ~pkgEsHh,1%l|hJ Big news today for the many airmen out there who want to grow out their beards: not only is there little evidence showing that beards interfere with a gas mask seal, but the Air Forces ban on beards may also be contributing to racial discrimination and hurting promotion opportunities within the service. Any links to regs would be appricated. 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. Sikh American airman in U.S. Air Force allowed to serve with turban and We speculate that these members, irrespective of race/ethnicity, may perceive this bias against shaving waivers and choose to leave the service earlier.. Beards cant exceed two inches if they do, they must be rolled and/or tied to achieve the required length, the regulations state. 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 . DVIDS - News - Number of religious accommodations, including beards Air University Airman overcomes barriers to express his faith as a DAFI 52-201 is the governing regulation for religious accommodation. Hopper,. Its an unsubstantiated claim, dermatologist Lt. Col. Simon Ritchie told Task & Purpose in May. thx. The U.S. Air Force issued new guidelines on Friday giving members who wear religious apparel a way to serve the country without compromising their faith. For a long time, the old Norse mythology of Odin, Thor and Ragnark was just that for Staff Sgt. [T]he promotion system is not necessarily inherently racially biased, but instead biased against the presence of facial hair which will likely always affect the promotions of Blacks/African-Americans disproportionately because of the relatively higher need for shaving waivers in this population, wrote the authors of a recent Air Force study. (U.S. Air Force) Airmen will be allowed to wear up to. This condition, which the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology says affects up to 60 percent of Black men, occurs when curved facial hairs grow back into the skin. While the Air Force prohibits male members from growing beards, waivers are issued to airmen who, for medical and religious reasons, are not able to shave in line with regulations. 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 Air Force Instruction, released Feb. 7, also formally allows Sikh airmen to wear turbans and Muslim women to wear hijabs. For military members, exemptions must also be documented in readiness systems (Navy/Marine Corps/Coast Guard Medical Readiness Reporting System, Army Medical Protection System, or Air Force Aeromedical Services Information Management System). 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. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. I was willfully ignorant about the impact it was having on young Black men, he said. US Army allows Christian soldier to wear long hair for religious reasons He hopes to become a Gothi essentially an ordained priest and perhaps become an official Air Force chaplain. According to the Department of Defense Instruction 1300. 3.1.2.3.1. DAF COVID-19 Statistics - January 2022. 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 . Tim Chacon/Air National Guard. Sounds like you might want to talk to your local chaplain team.