A new USMC policy would give Marines 12 months to deal with medical problems related to shaving before requiring them to be separated from the service.

The United States Marine Corps is known for being “The Few, The Proud.” By next year, they’ll also be known for being the entirely clean-shaven.

The service announced its new policy in a statement this month. The directive is a notable reversal of a January 2025 policy that did provide some exemptions to the beard rule, including for medical reasons.

However, in his address to senior Pentagon leadership at Quantico, Virginia, last October, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made clear that the era of “beardos” in the US armed forces was over.

Join the Marines and Shave

Hegseth isn’t alone in believing that Marines should be clean-shaven. That point was addressed by Marine Corps Commandant General Eric Smith, who publicly backed up Hegseth on the issue: “The Marine Corps has a brand, and we’re making our recruiting mission. We’ve always made our recruiting mission, and what we don’t want to do is tinker with the ethos of the Marine Corps—you joined us, we didn’t join you. You knew that coming in. You signed up. We don’t have beards, and you knew that coming in.”

The USMC’s May 2022 Facial Hair Grooming Standards stated, “The face will be clean shaven, except that a mustache may be worn.”

However, as with other service branches, the Marine Corps has historically allowed for some limited exemptions to the rule—notably providing a waiver to those with medical issues, such as those suffering from pseudofolliculitis barbae, which can cause a painful condition from shaving. That condition impacts as many as 60 percent of Black men, and results in inflammation, redness, and bumps.

Despite the findings, Hegseth made clear that beards in the military need to go, and vowed to limit religious and medical waivers last fall.

“The era of unprofessional appearance is over,” Hegseth announced in his speech to the generals. “No more beardos. The age of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles is done.”

The new order makes no reference to religious exemptions. However, Hegseth, a devout Christian who sports numerous tattoos tied to the Crusades of the Middle Ages, has been critical of their use in the past.

“We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans. But unfortunately, we have leaders who either refused to call BS and enforce standards, or leaders who felt that they were not allowed to enforce standards,” Hegseth said. “Both are unacceptable.”

Critics have noted that even as the US military doesn’t have many “Nordic pagans,” it does have thousands of Sikhs, Muslims, and Jews in its ranks—all of which have sects that require beards for religious reasons.

New Order Provides for Medical Separation After 12 Months

According to the newly announced statement from the Marine Corps, all of its uniformed personnel must meet the established uniform and grooming standards in the next year, or face “separation” from the service.

Temporary uniform or grooming standard exceptions for medical conditions, including pseudofolliculitis barbae, will be limited to 12 months. If the problem isn’t resolved, it might mean the end of a Marine’s service, as a more serious medical condition would.

“After 12 months of continuous treatment, commanders will evaluate the Marine for continued service and consider initiating separation proceedings if the Marine’s medical condition has not improved, is not classified as a disability, and adversely affects good order and discipline,” the notice explained.

Commanders will need to obtain a medical recommendation for separation, the Military Times explained—a somewhat inferior discharge that does not come with the same access to post-service benefits as an honorable discharge would.

However, there are a few other options for those with medical conditions that make shaving painful. Enlisted Marines will face “Condition Not a Disability,” and officers “Condition Not Constituting a Physical Disability.” Both are described as CND, and can result in a General Discharge Under Honorable Conditions,” but an Honorable Discharge is also likely if the Marine’s performance was otherwise satisfactory.

The question is how many individuals who otherwise meet Hegseth’s “warrior ethos” goals will be forced out simply because shaving is too painful!

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

The post Pete Hegseth’s Order to the Marine Corps: Shave—or Else appeared first on The National Interest.