Overview
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered services to tie shaving waivers to treatment plans and to separate troops who still need waivers after one year.
- An August 20 memo framing grooming rules as underpinning a "warrior ethos" preceded the directive now circulating across the force.
- Pseudofolliculitis barbae, the condition driving most waivers, affects a large share of Black men, and medical sources say avoiding shaving is the most reliable management.
- The memo leaves open questions about what treatments will be offered or funded and whether exceptions will apply for special operations, extreme cold environments, or religious accommodations.
- The move is part of a broader push to tighten appearance standards, drawing warnings about retention and diversity from medical experts and veteran commentators.