What are Pentagon's new clean shaven grooming standards - here are the details

The Pentagon announced new grooming rules on Monday. Now, all service members must be “clean shaven and neat in presentation for a proper military appearance”. Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, said these changes follow “a rapid force-wide review of military standards”.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the services to implement these new facial hair rules after the review, according to Parnell. Hegseth said, “The grooming standard set by the U.S. military is to be clean shaven and neat in presentation for a proper military appearance”, as per the report by The Hill.

Pentagon clean shaven rule

Earlier this month, President Trump signed an order to rename the Department of Defense as the “Department of War”. Trump framed the renaming as a sign of American strength and suggested that past long wars were influenced by political correctness. The executive order also allowed Hegseth’s title to change to Secretary of War.

Shaving waiver rules for soldiers

A permanent name change for the department will need approval from Congress. Commanders are instructed to use consistent criteria and consider safety and uniformity when allowing individual exceptions to grooming rules, as per the reports.

Military medical officers must provide written recommendations for any shaving waivers. The commander has the final approval authority for shaving waivers. Service members who get a shaving waiver will follow a medical treatment plan, according to the report by The Hill.

FAQs

Q1. What are the Pentagon’s new grooming rules for soldiers?
All service members must now be clean shaven and neat for a proper military appearance.

Q2. Can soldiers get an exception to the clean shaven rule?
Yes, soldiers can apply for a shaving waiver with a medical recommendation, which commanders must approve.