Pentagon to Discharge Troops Needing Long-Term Shaving Waivers

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has issued a new directive stating that service members who require a shaving exemption for more than a year will be discharged from the military, according to a memo dated August 20 and released Monday.

The updated policy still allows commanders to grant temporary shaving waivers—a long-standing military practice—but now requires those waivers to be tied to a formal medical treatment plan. Troops who remain unable to shave after one year will be separated from service.

“The Department must remain vigilant in maintaining the grooming standards which underpin the warrior ethos,” Hegseth wrote.

The policy affects all branches of the military and comes amid a broader tightening of appearance standards, following several years of more relaxed grooming rules, often implemented in response to service member feedback.

Most shaving waivers are issued to individuals diagnosed with pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), a condition in which shaved hair grows back into the skin, causing painful irritation. PFB disproportionately affects Black men. However, the memo does not clarify what treatments will be offered under the new policy or whether the military will cover their cost.

The document emphasizes that “the grooming standard set by the U.S. military is to be clean shaven and neat in presentation,” but does not mention whether mustaches remain permitted under the updated rules.

It’s also unclear how this change will impact longstanding exceptions, such as waivers for special operations forces deployed in the field or troops stationed in extreme cold, like those in Alaska, where shaving can be medically risky.

The policy comes as individual service branches continue revising grooming standards. The Army recently introduced new appearance regulations, particularly for women, addressing hairstyles, nail length, earrings, and makeup. In January, the Air Force rolled back its nail polish policy, limiting it to just three shades—one of which is clear—down from a previously approved list of 60 colors.

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