US Military beard ban sparks outrage among Sikhs, religious minorities
Babushahi Bureau
Washington DC (US), October 4, 2025: The United States military is facing widespread criticism after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced a new grooming policy that effectively bans most service members from keeping beards, limiting exemptions only to select special forces.
Unveiled during a speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, Hegseth stated bluntly: “If you want a beard, join special forces. If not, shave. We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans.” He further condemned what he called “rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles,” referring to medical and religious waivers that allowed beards for health or faith reasons.
The new policy rolls back years of progress toward religious and health-based accommodations, restricting eligibility to non-deployable positions with minimal exposure to chemical or fire-related risks.
The Sikh Coalition, a leading advocacy group for Sikhs in the US military, expressed deep concern over the move, saying it threatens religious freedoms for Sikhs, Orthodox Jews, and Muslims who maintain facial hair as part of their faith. “At this time, we are on high alert,” the coalition stated, warning that the rule could force devout service members to choose between their beliefs and their military careers.
“For Sikh soldiers, shaving or cutting their beard is like "cutting off a limb," said Marissa Rossetti, senior staff attorney at the Sikh Coalition.
Hegseth’s speech, delivered before over 800 top military leaders, criticized individual expression such as beards and long hair, asserting that eliminating them would restore “lethality” and discipline. However, civil rights groups, veterans, and religious freedom advocates have condemned the policy as discriminatory.