air force religious beard waiver
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. We speculate that these members, irrespective of race/ethnicity, may perceive this bias against shaving waivers and choose to leave the service earlier.. 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. Sure, but how about competitive pay and benefits? 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. stream This is the first time the command has done so. But a little more than two years ago, Sopchak was seized by an overwhelming feeling that he needed to look further into these legends and the religion surrounding them. A federal judge Thursday temporarily blocked the Air Force from penalizing a group of service members who are seeking a religious exemption to otherwise mandatory Covid-19 vaccination, in. Giselle Klapper, a Sikh Coalition staff attorney, said her group has long been seeking a blanket proclamation that all Sikh Americans who wear turbans and beards as part of their faith can serve in every branch of the military without seeking individual accommodations. One Facebook commenter questioned why the Air Force needs a separate pilot program when it could study those who already have shaving waivers. This condition can appear in a person of any ethnicity but is predominantly seen in Blacks/African Americans, study authors wrote. W2~@R>tA);|6[ +XnDnQi\k`LF. It was more relatable.. Beards could be two months away in the Air Force. For AFR waiver processing instructions see AFMAN 368001, - Participation and Training Procedures. Rathour graduated Security Forces technical training on Sept. 26, 2019. 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. Tim Chacon/Air National Guard. David Roza It also specifically looked at the time it took airmen with shaving waivers to get promoted relative to airmen without waivers, and whether that association led to racial bias. x\[o~d/Sp|A|=hdDPwfvIQuDgg?ydtx.b`1K55'V#wLDP,(Wj Later, every religious trend sought and found the hadiths that justified its principles. Singh was born in India and followed his father, an asylee, to the U.S. in 2012. William Bailey, received a waiver to grow a beard in March. The idea would let participating airmen sport well-kept beards no longer than one-quarter inch, Military.com first reported Monday. 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. At first, it appeared Sopchak was the first Heathen to get a beard waiver. The updated Air Force Instruction, released Feb. 7, also formally allows Sikh airmen to wear turbans and Muslim women to wear hijabs. Many airmen on social media called for abandoning the beard prohibition altogether. 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. 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. 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. 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). "There is no religious requirement for beards in Heathenry," the post read. In March 2021, after Comer arrived at Maxwell Air Force Base, he started talking to his first sergeant about applying for a religious accommodation to obtain a beard waiver. 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. According to an Air Force press . The Army last year granted its first beard authorization to a Norse pagan soldier. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. The United States military continues to bend its strict grooming rules to appease Muslims, most recently allowing an Air Force sergeant to sport a beard for religious reasons. But if the unit commander is going to say no, the regulation said, it must be an unusual situation and based on real (not theoretical) compelling government interest, such as safety. Action on Requests for Religious Accommodation that Require the Waiver of Department of the Air Force Regulations or Policies or Directives . We dont believe that theres a superior race, Sopchak said. 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. such as an exemption uniform policy; the from a purchase of suitable, alternative personal protective . By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Heres how. Abdul Rahman Gaitan became the first Muslim airman to receive a religious accommodation beard waiver. 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. Master Sgt. However, given the most recent research; shaving waivers could play a role in racial disparity in terms of promotions. 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. Beards can also be seen as symbols of power, strength, and virility. Correction: This story was updated at 6:53 p.m. to reflect correct information about religious waivers for beards. No Sikh American should have to choose between their religious beliefs and their career ambitions, Klapper said in a statement Wednesday. According to the regulation, turbans, hijabs, under-turbans or other headwear must be plain, dark blue, black, and free of designs or markings except when matching with the airman's camouflage uniform. . That study, which involved 798 airmen responding to emailed surveys, called for more research and data on the subject. <> 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. But so far, the call for beards seems to fall on deaf ears. Muslim, Sikh and pagan members of the Air Force have individually requested and received waivers for religious apparel and beards in recent years, but this is the first time the guidelines and the accompanying approval process are being standardized. 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. Accommodation of Religious Practices in the Air Force. The Air Force in recent years has begun granting waivers to allow airmen including airmen of the Muslim, Sikh and Norse Heathen or pagan faiths to grow beards for religious reasons. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. Based on the successful examples of Soldiers currently serving with these accommodations, I have determined David covers the Air Force, Space Force and anything Star Wars-related. 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. Caitlyn Smoyer). We recommend further study of gas mask and respirator fit testing with facial hair in the military population to clarify this.. Be aware though, that the belief must be sincere, which means you will likely be interviewed by the chaplain about your beliefs, and they will advise your CC on whether or not your beliefs are sincere, or you're just trying to get a beard. Airmen assigned to units wearing a beret of any color may wear an appropriately-colored head covering as directed by the unit commander, one sample memo explains. Market-leading rankings and editorial commentary - see the top law firms & lawyers for Not-for-profit (nonprofit and tax exempt organizations) in United States 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 Air Forces updated policy sets new grooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans, hijabs and beards for religious reasons. The same was true for airmen trying to hit the rank of staff sergeant (E-5). I will also add, the whole reason I want a beard is to help me with my faith during Ramadan. 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. Staff Sgt. Do you have information you want to share with HuffPost? Get the latest in military news, entertainment and gear in your inbox daily. There are many religious reasons why people might choose to grow a beard. The review directed Air Force commanders to conduct a root cause analysis of racial disparities within their commands, develop an action plan for reporting them, then release a progress report within six months. Subscribe to Task & Purpose Today. Air Force). 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. Airmen who need to grow out their facial hair in uniform can take heart that the top enlisted airman, Chief Master Sgt. And if that airman is assigned to a unit that wears a beret of a particular color, the unit commander can order him to wear a turban of the same color. Heathens hold religious services rooted in Norse paganism aboard aircraft carrier, Women in the military: Moving beyond firsts, Veterans Affairs drops mask requirement for all agency medical offices, Officials OK some hand and neck tattoos for airmen, Guardians, Perennial pilot shortage puts Air Force in precarious position, Healthy eating on a budget for busy military spouses, Tax scams How to report them Money Minute, Capitol Hill weighs action on two controversial topics: medical marijuana and abortion, Lockheed wins hypersonics contract | Defense Dollars, Go inside a secret nuclear fallout bunker sealed for decades, Another Air Force fleet grounded over fears plane tails may fall off, Pentagon orders engine vibration fix for entire F-35 fleet worldwide, Minot firings due to failed nuclear safety inspection, Air Force advisers study use of satellites for tracking moving targets. 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. . 1 comment. | In 2018, Staff Sgt. Meanwhile, about 76.83% of the no-waiver group was White. ooming and uniform standards for members who wear turbans, hijabs and beards for religious reasons. While the Air Force prohibits male members from growing beards, waivers are issued to airmen who,. The new version of the service's dress and appearance standards policy allows tattoos up to 1 . He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel, Airman 1st Class Harpreetinder Singh Bajwa. He also hopes to grow the Heathen community in the area around Hill. Airmen in the guard with waivers can wear beards in Air Force ceremonies and duties, but not as part of a joint service honor guard with another branch, Military.com reported. Seven months later, this reporter could not immediately find any such progress reports. I can answer the questions, so it is not really a problem but how is that even legal? Singh wanted to serve in the U.S. military to defend the country that had taken his family in, according to the Sikh Coalition. It is is up to the wing commander (or the unit's equivalent of such a commander) to make the final decision. Click here. 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. Abdul Rahman Gaitain, an airman with the 821st. 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. It is a sincerely held belief, but I have not been a Muslim for long, only a couple weeks. %PDF-1.5 Paragraph 1.5.2 changed to read: Submitting Requests for Religious, Gender , or Medical Waivers. 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. There is no potential timeline for approval, because it isnt even at that stage, she said. He also consulted with The Asatru Community, a nonprofit group that advocates for followers of Norse pagan religions. <>>> 3.1.2.3.1. 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.. In a June 18 memo, Surgeon General Lt. Gen. Dorothy Hogg authorized the longer shaving waivers for airmen with pseudofolliculitis barbae, or razor bumps, effective immediately. 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. Beards are generally frowned upon because of the U.S. militarys longstanding tradition of uniformity and attention to detail as well as concerns that certain gear, like gas masks, wouldnt tightly seal with hair in the way. The Sikh Coalition said the Air Force regulation closely resembles the Army's. 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. Its a little scraggly right now, Sopchak said. When requests are precluded by military necessity, commanders and supervisors should seek reasonable alternatives.. ", By 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. endobj endobj 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 . He hopes to become a Gothi essentially an ordained priest and perhaps become an official Air Force chaplain. In December, the Air Force commissioned its first female Muslim chaplain . 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.. At the end of the day, while we are continually out in front with initiatives that provide more opportunities for our airmen to serve to their full potential, we are cognizant that we are part of a broader military force.. 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. safety) or when precluded by a compelling (i.e., especially important) governmental and/or Air Force interest. 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 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. The Air Force in recent years has begun granting waivers to allow airmen including airmen of the Muslim, Sikh and Norse Heathen or pagan faiths to grow beards for religious reasons. 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. Contact the author here. 8[/6&ip1~E5\h|#_W7AO2#+S_*wQ2I1jg!zx 6FTUqepk9v i*z]D@s;3c~52YJSR04P_dZgLA-Xh YWX,&"qp6bY ?HD]SL%d9n4%;uwR"d"4X 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. are divided over that study showing beard waivers hurt careers. 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. He received a beard waiver on July 8, 2019. And in June, a Sikh airman received approval to wear a beard and turban. USAF photo by Alexander Goad. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. The Army granted a similar waiver last year, and beard exemptions have been granted for a growing number of Sikhs and Muslims . 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. 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. 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. thx. A1C Rathour is the first Sikh Airman to receive religious accommodation, and may grow his beard and wear his turban while in uniform. Hopper,. For some pagans, it is seen as a way of honoring the gods and goddesses. Many airmens dearest wish may soon come true if the Air Force greenlights a pilot program allowing some men to grow beards. t7be,2/gQ u7|O;(?lKHfm'*g' I{C The standards for growing a beard for medical reasons remain unchanged, the Air Force said. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. By The waiver group also had a greater rate of disciplinary action compared to the no-waiver group (18.96% versus 11.45%). Its unclear how many people currently use shaving waivers. Central figures in Norse mythology such as Odin and Thor are commonly depicted as wearing beards. Thanks for attaching this, it seems like a simple enough process to get the accommodation. This new study looked at a much larger share of data and involved 9,339 valid responses. 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. Many Asatruars and other heathens think it's wrong for heathens to use this exemption because heathens don't have the kind of religion in which our gods require all their followers to follow commandments in order to achieve a proper afterlife. Contact the author here. Air Force Special Operations Command has made history by granting a religious accommodation waiver to a Sikh service member. The Air Force has granted several airmen permission to wear beards, turbans and the hijab for religious reasons in recent years. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The Brig. Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. (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. Isnt the whole point of Religious Freedom that people CANT question your religious beliefs?? However, most airmen who have waivers are Black, because they are more likely to be affected by pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) than White airmen. Sopchak said he was originally raised Baptist, but has not been a Christian for a long time. 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 Sounds like you might want to talk to your local chaplain team. 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. The research studied the effect of shaving waivers on the careers of active duty male airmen.