Posted on Oct 31, 2014
Why is it that officers are considered unprofessional who wear mustaches?
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Why is it that officers are considered unprofessional who wear mustaches? I have come from an NCO background of 10 years before becoming an officer and one of the first things I was told was lose the mustache. what is so different from having a mustache as an NCO to an officer
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Officers
Officers
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 71
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In my time as a civilian, we had this same bias against facial hair. Most high-level managers and CEOs don't have 'staches, but it's fine for the entry-level worker bees to have them.
I agree with this bias. When something is cleanly cut (grass, hedges, hair), it seems likely that the person charged with maintaining it is detail-oriented, thinks ahead, and puts thought and energy into the effort. So yes, if my commander is clean-shaven, he will gain my respect more quickly than if he weren't.
I agree with this bias. When something is cleanly cut (grass, hedges, hair), it seems likely that the person charged with maintaining it is detail-oriented, thinks ahead, and puts thought and energy into the effort. So yes, if my commander is clean-shaven, he will gain my respect more quickly than if he weren't.
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CW5 Sam R. Baker
Interesting that civilian and military bias is mutually the same, sounds like education and being able to read and write are one in the same!
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I would assume that if it looks like a porstache or makes you look sleezy, weird or non executive then maybe it's not a good idea. Think in your mind, would an executive in business culture wear a mustache and how would that mustache look. You sir look like danny Glover from Lethal weapon, so who cares. LOL
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I got to where I am meeting the standard and even exceeding them majority of the time. For a mustache to over shadow a officers worth I feel is almost childish in most ways. It reflects the good-o-boy system which politics is the reason we make our own suffering. What you think?
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CPT Jeremy Smith
I would agree that it should not effect your value as an officer but I also know that perception is fact too often which means if your rater perceives that mustaches are unprofessional then you are going to have to work with in that perception. It isn't right though
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SPC Judy P.
I agree the perception is one of the biggest and leading cause of problems we have in the military. I, myself have had to keep that out of the equation on many occasions. I have been in an E-7 and E-8 position for over 2 yrs and I have seen many officers come through my door with different types of facial hair. I knew my regs in and out. I cannot see (unless it is just terrible cut or you didn't take care of it) why there is a problem.. Obviously the regs are there for reasons from the past ...
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Diversity is the best flavor of our military and nation. Â I NEVER sport a "Stashe" but for Mo-VEMBER I am growing one to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer and normally male-based diseases. Â
I figured if I can run a 5K in Midtown Atlanta wearing a pink tutu to raise money for Breast Cancer - I can grow a moustache in MOVEMBER. Â http://mobro.co/chriskehlÂ
It's going to be a hairy journey and I'm looking for friends to join me. I want YOU to join my Movember team and help change the face of men's health: http://moteam.co/lucas-group-s-mo-vemberÂ
~Chris aka MAJ K
I figured if I can run a 5K in Midtown Atlanta wearing a pink tutu to raise money for Breast Cancer - I can grow a moustache in MOVEMBER. Â http://mobro.co/chriskehlÂ
It's going to be a hairy journey and I'm looking for friends to join me. I want YOU to join my Movember team and help change the face of men's health: http://moteam.co/lucas-group-s-mo-vemberÂ
~Chris aka MAJ K
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I really don't like them most of the time, really any time other than while deployed. If you are going to be different from the crowd and stand out, then you better be extremely competent, if not you are going to be singled out for being different.
I have enjoyed pushing regulations and unwritten rules from time to time, keeping more hair than 4 or 5 CSMs combined on top of my head, or shaving it all off and growing a mustache while deployed, and looking goofy. You just have to be you, but if you are going to stand out be the absolutely best at your job, because performance matters more than anything.
I have enjoyed pushing regulations and unwritten rules from time to time, keeping more hair than 4 or 5 CSMs combined on top of my head, or shaving it all off and growing a mustache while deployed, and looking goofy. You just have to be you, but if you are going to stand out be the absolutely best at your job, because performance matters more than anything.
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Our facial hair regulations are stupid in general. My home station is located in a part of the country that is suffering a drought so bad that there are entire communities without water, and were each wasting gallons every day on a superficial grooming standard. Call it what you will, I don't have the time to judge a superior's leadership abilities on how he or she looks.
Unless we're in MOPP levels 0 - 4, what's the point of these baby faces?
SSgt D. - mustache wearer extraordinaire.
Unless we're in MOPP levels 0 - 4, what's the point of these baby faces?
SSgt D. - mustache wearer extraordinaire.
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SSG Tim Everett
Funny, that old rationale... I've worn a pro-mask with facial hair and my seal worked just as well as when I was a recruit in Basic. Observation only.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Interesting observation, SSG Tim Everett. I've never tried it, so I don't know how well it works. Just out of curiosity, how much facial hair were you sporting at the time?
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SSG Tim Everett
Goodness, I just noticed a typo. How embarrassing, ret-conning that now.
To answer your question sir, a full-on "Operator" style man-beard. I know for a fact that it worked because it was a gas chamber.
To answer your question sir, a full-on "Operator" style man-beard. I know for a fact that it worked because it was a gas chamber.
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If someone shows me how to block faces with those "black squares", I will show you some GLORIOUS combat CAV staches on our pilots when we went to play with Saddam in early 2003. I am talking......GLORIOUS!!!
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