The U.S. Air Force granted its first religious waivers to the military-wide COVID-19 vaccine mandate this week. This is a volunteers proposal.. 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 hopes to become a Gothi essentially an ordained priest and perhaps become an official Air Force chaplain. David covers the Air Force, Space Force and anything Star Wars-related. The studys findings are particularly significant because they come at a time when the Air Force is reckoning with racial disparities in the service overall. He also consulted with The Asatru Community, a nonprofit group that advocates for followers of Norse pagan religions. Airmen in need of a waiver could try laser hair removal or chemical treatment, but many airmen are reluctant to undertake them because it could permanently alter their ability to grow facial hair, the study authors wrote. 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. It was only after becoming the top enlisted airman that Wright met fellow airmen for whom being clean-shaven was impossible without immense pain and skin damage. As part of the process, an airman must describe the religious basis for and include a comment on the sincerity of the request. Air Force Special Operations Command has made history by granting a religious accommodation waiver to a Sikh service member. It took Sopchak about 11 months to get his beard approved. Airmen who need to grow out their facial hair in uniform can take heart that the top enlisted airman, Chief Master Sgt. Later, every religious trend sought and found the hadiths that justified its principles. The standards for growing a beard for medical reasons remain unchanged, the Air Force said. Tim Chacon/Air National Guard. 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 study authors found that the long wait for promotions applied to airmen of all races who had waivers. 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. W2~@R>tA);|6[ +XnDnQi\k`LF. However, most airmen who have waivers are Black, because they are more likely to be affected by pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) than White airmen. The Air Force on Friday became the second branch of the U.S. military to approve the wearing of beards, turbans, hijabs, under-turbans/patkas, unshorn hair and other indoor/outdoor head coverings for religious reasons. <> Hijabs, turbans and under-turbans (also known as patkas) should be free of designs and made of a subdued material in a color that closely resembles ones uniform. See Beard News in Air Force for more information. 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. Something about what he found resonated, and Sopchak became a Norse Heathen. So I am not some expert I just watch YouTube videos of the teachings of Islam. 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. In addition to believing in the old Norse gods, he said, Heathens believe that they are descended from them. Friday's regulation formalizes such waivers into a multi-step review process. 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. Abdul Rahman Gaitan became the first Muslim airman to receive a religious accommodation beard waiver. 3 0 obj 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 . According to the Nevada Army Guard's and Air Guard's personnel offices, the state has eight Guardsmen - four Soldiers and four Airmen - who declare Pagan as their religious preference. 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. % 2 0 obj 173rd Fighter Wing Airmen may begin taking advantage of new uniform regulations allowing religious exemptions such as beards, hijabs, and turbans while in uniform. This causes inflammation and a foreign body reaction, and over time, can result in scarring. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. An airmans rank will be displayed on the turban or under-turban when worn in circumstances where military headgear is customarily worn, and removed in circumstances where military headgear is not typically worn, such as indoors or in no-hat or no-salute areas. According to an Air Force press . 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. We speculate that these members, irrespective of race/ethnicity, may perceive this bias against shaving waivers and choose to leave the service earlier.. 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. other similar condition s that prohibits regular facial shaving may requ est a waiver to wear a beard . The Air Force separated 610 Airmen for declining the once-mandated COVID-19 vaccination. Contact the author here. Any links to regs would be appricated. 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. +BEeB5JiTx [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. Garrett Sopchak mythology, a collection of interesting stories but little more. Would beards be nice? 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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. One Facebook commenter questioned why the Air Force needs a separate pilot program when it could study those who already have shaving waivers. Wing commanders or other leaders at major commands, numbered air forces or other organizations will then approve or deny such a request. For those wondering, the regulation says that a mustache worn with a beard may extend sideways beyond the corners of the mouth to connect with the beard, but must be trimmed or groomed to not cover the upper lip.. The Sikh Coalition, an advocacy group which works on behalf of Sikhs and other religious minorities in the military, praised the new regulation. The update to AFI 36-2903, Dress and personal appearance of Air Force personnel, allows airmen to request a waiver to wear religious apparel, as long as they are neat and conservative and present a professional and well-groomed appearance. ~pkgEsHh,1%l|hJ Beard News in Air Force Copyright 2022 Beard Waiver - All Rights Reserved. ooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans, hijabs and beards for religious reasons. are divided over that study showing beard waivers hurt careers. I had opportunities to hire all kinds of folks and I was adamant about not hiring somebody with a shaving waiver, just because I fell into that category of this is Air Force policy, its not professional, he said. 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? safety) or when precluded by a compelling (i.e., especially important) governmental and/or Air Force interest. Tell me youre an A1C without telling me youre an A1C. There is no potential timeline for approval, because it isnt even at that stage, she said. According to the Nevada Army Guard's and Air Guard's personnel offices, the state has eight Guardsmen - four Soldiers and four Airmen - who declare Pagan as their religious preference. The demographics of the respondents closely match those of the Air Force in general, the study authors wrote. I have an approved religious accommodation and have gotten pretty knowledgeable on the process. such as an exemption uniform policy; the from a purchase of suitable, alternative personal protective . In December, the Air Force commissioned its first female Muslim chaplain . Seven months later, this reporter could not immediately find any such progress reports. This article has been updated to reflect the fact that another Norse Heathen airman, Staff Sgt. 0. 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. purifying respirators and controlled air purifying respirators or beard-bands: 3. work just as well as N95s, but may cost more, and thus may be found to impose . Sopchak said he was originally raised Baptist, but has not been a Christian for a long time. The idea would let participating airmen sport well-kept beards no longer than one-quarter inch, Military.com first reported Monday. The facial hair cannot exceed one-quarter of an inch, must be grown out naturally and cannot be shaped or styled. Shaving waivers can hold back an airman's career, and since most airmen with waivers are Black, the regulations are effectively discriminatory. 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. If substantiated, then the benefits of the grooming standards, as defined in Air Force Instruction 36-2903, should be re-evaluated in the context of these findings, they wrote. 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. 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 the event of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive threat, commanding officers could also ask someone wearing a hijab to remove it to ensure a proper gas mask fit. addresses the Air Force grooming standard for beards: "[b]eards are not authorizedunless for medical reasons, when authorized by a commander on the advice of a medical official." An Airmen who requests an accommodation waiver to grow a beard for religious reasons must follow You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. 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 . Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 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.. The Army granted a similar waiver last year, and beard exemptions have been granted for a growing number of Sikhs and Muslims though not atheists. The Sikh Coalition, the largest Sikh civil rights organization in the United States which has helped more than 20 Sikh Americans serve in the military, applauded the changes. According to the Department of Defense Instruction 1300. Singh wanted to serve in the U.S. military to defend the country that had taken his family in, according to the Sikh Coalition. 1 comment. It is is up to the wing commander (or the unit's equivalent of such a commander) to make the final decision. Chaplains typically can tell if you're trying to BS them and it can affect the perceived credibility of real requests in the future. endobj 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. Here are some active soldiers who have been allowed to keep their facial hair. Last year, Capt. If the idea moves forward, participating airmen and guardians would become the subject of a research project whose data could convince high-level Pentagon officials to allow more flexibility on facial hair. dx xE28;eN0ORG*sMhw_2iL!o@/dUKS0sD~-dd!7r.7ucOjP0GH#_&F%)wr-' 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 study, which was published in July 2021, pointed out that many of the airmen who apply for medical shaving waivers are Black, because Black men are more likely to be affected by pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) commonly referred to as razor bumps than White men. Action on Requests for Religious Accommodation that Require the Waiver of Department of the Air Force Regulations or Policies or Directives . In December, Military.com reported that the Air Force Honor Guard changed its policy in April to allow airmen with shaving waivers to apply and join the guard. Religious beards in the military were allowed in 2017. And last December, a group of sailors on the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis held the Navys first Heathen lay service. The research studied the effect of shaving waivers on the careers of active duty male airmen. <>/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>> The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) welcomed the policy change. 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 . Master Sgt. Maysaa Ouza, the first Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps officer to wear the hijab, was also featured in a short NBC documentary last year. Airman raises his head as flight surgeon chief of medical staff inspects his neck and face during a shaving waiver course at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., March 15, 2018. Still, Ritchie called for a study to come up with a conclusive answer. William Bailey, a beard waiver. Rathour graduated Security Forces technical training on Sept. 26, 2019. Paragraph 1.5.2.3 added: Members requesting a medical waiver to wear a beard must submit a letter 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. 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. Isnt the whole point of Religious Freedom that people CANT question your religious beliefs?? David covers the Air Force, Space Force and anything Star Wars-related. Theres a lot of comparables where Hey if females and women in the military just got their hair changed, how about beards? said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass in April. With regards to promotions, the wait grows longer the more time airmen have shaving waivers. The Brig. Want to write for Task & Purpose? By Part of HuffPost Politics. 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. 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. The Air Force also granted its first religious accommodation beard waiver, to a Muslim airman, in 2018. A religious accommodation request must include information including the airmans job, what the airman is asking for and the religious reason for the request, and a comment on the sincerity of the request. 4 0 obj The U. S. Air Force has published new guidance for religious accommodations that allow airmen to wear beards, turbans and hijabs. Hopper,. The religious accommodation process is designed to accommodate individuals who can cite specific teachings, traditions, or texts that Air Force policies contradict. 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. And in June, a Sikh airman received approval to wear a beard and turban. 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. 3.1.2.3.1. Brown Jr. covered a broad range of topics with his additions to his Leadership Library in February. Ou5g(O5b5md8_ -+'.$Dvqx)YDTwXD`m_~G ArVT+`oo However, given the most recent research; shaving waivers could play a role in racial disparity in terms of promotions. The regulation follows years of individual airmen and other service members receiving waivers for religious beards and apparel. According to a statement from the Air Force, Senior Airman Dominic Varriale was granted the turban waiver in 2020. Staff Sgt. The same was true for airmen trying to hit the rank of staff sergeant (E-5). The updated Air Force Instruction, released Feb. 7, also formally allows Sikh airmen to wear turbans and Muslim women to wear hijabs. Its unclear how many people currently use shaving waivers. Her work has appeared in Air Force Magazine, Inside Defense, Inside Health Policy, the Frederick News-Post (Md. Now, updated Air Force regulations make clearer and smoother the path for personnel to request and obtain a similar religious waiver. 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. FILE PHOTO: U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Staff Sgt. "Sikhs are allowed to wear beards and turbans because it actually is a religious requirement of their faith that they do so. I am grateful to hear of this policy change, because it codifies in writing what I already know: The U.S. Air Force values the service and contribution of religious minorities like me, Singh said in a statement provided by the group. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. 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. Military Approving Beards for Pagan Worshipers. We dont believe that theres a superior race, Sopchak said. Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. 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.
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