Shaving and Facial Hair

Being in the army, means you are part of a team. Being part of a team means you have to rely on other people, and other people have to rely on you. If you aren't being a team player then you can let the team and your battle buddies down. By not shaving, you are letting your battle buddies and team down. The army is based on uniformity and cleanliness. When you don't shave you begin to expire that idea. Shaving in early armies as a preventative measure. They shaved the hair to prevent the spread and outbreak of lice. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, "Many military organizations also require males to maintain clean-shaven faces because facial hair can prevent an air-tight seal between the face and breathing or safety equipment, such as a pilot's oxygen mask, a diver's mask, or a soldier's gas mask". It has practical uses as well as uniformity purposes. Uniformity is a detrimental mandation I've noticed, at least in the US Army. We ensure that we are all wearing the same outfit at the same time. If one item is removed, it must be a unanimous decision between the Sergeants and soldiers involved. Such control in uniform and appearance in general, make for disciplined well rounded soldiers. They listen to their sergeants, even If they are unsure of the reason behind or don't entirely agree with the decision. Males having their mustaches and beards kept up represent the army, sustaining the semblance and ideology on mass uniformity. The hygienic issue related to shaving is of considerable relevance. First of all, an untrimmed beard or mustache is a personal turn off to me. Nobody wants to make out with a furry bush. According to a 1991 article written in the New York Times, it is just not socially acceptable to our culture to have ungroomed facial hair, and letting it just grow. "Yet the prescription is often difficult, if not impossible, to fill because of social pressures to be cleanshaven. Some organizations, like police