Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Tightens Military Beard Policy Amid Broader Personnel Reforms

In May 2026, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth boarded the USS Boxer in Singapore and later visited the USS Carl Vinson in San Diego. During the trips he noted several sailors with beards, which he said violated a memo issued in September that tightened restrictions on facial hair and limited medical exemptions. The observation prompted immediate follow-up meetings in June, during which senior Pentagon officials reminded commanders that the secretary was “paying close attention to the progress of the EEO reforms” and urged faster implementation of the new grooming standards.

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Until 2025, the services had gradually expanded medical and religious exemptions for beards, allowing thousands of service members to retain facial hair. Hegseth’s September memo reversed that trend, arguing that beards could compromise the seal of protective equipment against chemical or biological threats. The same period saw the secretary introduce changes to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) procedures, requiring timely handling of complaints and presuming innocence until evidence proves otherwise.

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Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Hegseth “maintains the highest expectations for our service members to uphold the professional standards of appearance, fitness, and discipline” and that commanders “will be held accountable for delivering results as the Department works to restore a culture of excellence and readiness.”

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Richard Brookshire, co-founder of the nonprofit Black Veterans Project, warned that the policy “allows for an environment of hostility to our Black troops” because it could lead to disciplinary action for pseudofolliculitis barbae, a painful condition that disproportionately affects Black men. He added that the rule “opens them up for … disciplinary action for a treatable condition that the military had been adequately treating for well over a decade.”

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• “Want to bring to your attention that the SecWar is paying close attention to the progress of the EEO [Equal Employment Opportunity] reforms,” — Pentagon official, internal email

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• “No more beardos,” — Pete Hegseth, speech to senior officers

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• “The era of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles is done.” — Pete Hegseth, same speech

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• “disciplinary action for a treatable condition that the military had been adequately treating for well over a decade.” — Richard Brookshire, Black Veterans Project

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• “You’re talking about getting rid of well-qualified, patriotic, lethal soldiers at a time our country is propagating new and complex wars, after spending quite literally millions of dollars to train these men and women,” — Richard Brookshire, interview with CNN

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