On 15 June 15 1986, Admiral Paul Yost banned the wearing of beards by Coast Guardsmen around the world, stating that the Coast Guard should “meet the same standards of smartness” as other branches. The year prior the U.S. Navy banned the wearing of beards by sailors citing military appearance and some general references to obtaining and maintaining a seal on respirators. While beards in the Navy had an on-again-off-again history, Admiral Yost’s decree broke a tradition going back to 1790 and, while it may seem like an unimportant issue, it is indicative of a steady identity loss in an organization that sometimes doesn’t seem to know what it is or where it stands in the world.
Argument Against Beards
The argument against beards centers around 3 main points: professional appearance, safety, and a need for a uniform appearance. The problem is that each of these arguments is weak at best and outright wrong for at least one of them. Let us take them in turn:
Professional Appearance. First impressions are crucial, especially in the context of the Coast Guard’s mission set. How we dress can dictate how we feel and act as a professional organization, we should all strive to put on our best face. The problem is what “looks professional” is often dictated by the times. I am not advocating we swap ODUs for wearing flannel and walking around with skinny jeans but the fact is, if it was 200 year ago I would be writing this essay with a cool top hat on, because that “looked professional” back then. For some reason, in the 1980s beards were deemed not professional and the argument went against them. Lack of a beard does not make you a professional. Trust me, I know tons of clean-shaven people who are entirely unprofessional. But, here is the real kicker: That argument doesn’t work, because many organizations have exemptions for medical and religious reasons. Unless of course, we are saying those members are exempt from looking professional. A Sikh Coast Guardsman is just as professional as a Catholic one, and I think any reasonable person would agree that they are just as professional in action and appearance as any other service member. So, the professional appearance argument is not just weak, but outright wrong.
Safety. The inability to obtain a seal on a respirator is often cited as a reason to not allow beards, and it is a valid one. Studies have shown that beards have a negative impact on respirator fit. But there are several weaknesses with this argument. First, they make gas masks that can accommodate beards. Second, SCBAs, which are used on Coast Guard cutters, are positive pressure systems, and so are less impacted by any seal issues that a beard may cause. Finally, beards have a miraculous ability to be removed. They can be shaven off in minutes and certainly before a deployment. Admiral Yost gave a weekend for everyone to shave during the original order so we know that it can be at least done that quickly.
Uniform Appearance. To address this argument one must first look at why military members wear uniforms. Roman officers began wearing cloaks in order to better delineate who was giving orders on the battle field, but the idea of everyone on the same side wearing the same thing did not come until later. Today, numerous studies show that groups that look/dress alike often work better together. The question is, how far does one take that? We rightfully celebrate variations in skin tone and gender throughout the organization. We allow variation in height (thankfully) and even let males grow beards on their upper lip, often called mustaches, but for some reason allowing a neat and trim beard is not deemed “uniform.” What makes the argument even weaker is the fact that many allied navies, including France and Australia, permit beards. Regardless of your thoughts on the French, I don’t think anyone feels the Australian Navy isn’t “uniform in appearance.” The only reason service members with beards currently stick out is because NO ONE ELSE HAS THEM.
Arguments For Beards
Decisions should not be made on whims and changes that affect our service members should be made cautiously and only if there is a benefit. I need only think back to the five years where I had to buy three different styles of ODU/working blues to be reminded of that fact. So now that we have looked at why we do not allow beards in the Coast Guard let’s look to see if there is a strong enough argument for them (spoiler alert: there is).
Strong Traditions. Sailors have beards. There has been a long tradition of sailors wearing beards. Every time I pass by a portrait of Joshua James I am reminded of that fact. Woe unto anyone who calls Joshua James unprofessional for having a beard. Commander Harold Wood and Lieutenant Charles Cowing had beards as they commanded their cutters in the first successful U.S.-led navigation of the Northwest Passage. Marcus Hanna had a beard when he earned the Gold Lifesaving medal at the Pemaquid Point Light. Richard Etheridge had a beard as he saved countless lives at station Pea Island. Sailors have beards. In 1986 we stopped over 200 years of tradition.
We Are Not the Department of Defense. In addition to beards, the Coast Guard has another long and proud tradition—that of changing federal departments. After seven moves we have settled in to the Department of Homeland Security and it seems like a good fit. Even with our proud tradition of defending our nation in times of peace and war we are not the Navy, Army, or Marines and should revel in our differences.
Recruiting Numbers Would Skyrocket. Since 2004 the search term “how to grow a beard” has grown exponentially while searches for “Coast Guard enlistment” have gone from low to microscopic in Google. Millennials love beards and the Coast Guard needs Millennials. We never are going to offer office sleeping pods or unlimited vacation days but we do offer many of the same perks as top Silicon Valley tech companies. Free health care? Check. Onsite chefs? Some of the finest. Travel perks? We have them in spades. So why is it still so hard to recruit in this day and age? Part of the answer lies in the bare chins of boatswain mates around the world.
Until it was mysteriously taken down sometime over the summer, “bring back beards” was the most popular idea on Ideas@Work, the Coast Guard’s innovation crowdsourcing platform. The platform is advertised as a means for leadership to gather solutions from our talented workforce, and a place for our members to share their ideas across the service. When an idea as simple as allowing beards gains momentum, it is obvious that the members desire it. When employees do not get what they desire they eventually leave, therefore allowing beards will not only have a positive impact on recruitment but will also aid in retention.
Conclusion
Rightfully, much of this work may seem in jest but there is a hard nucleus of truth about which this argument forms, that truth is that rules should have a reason, they should make sense, and they should be changed when that reason or sense change. Israeli soldiers are required to shave before entering combat situations. Norwegian soldiers keep their beards closely shaven at the jaw line. Those policies are reasonable and make sense. The rules against beards in the Coast Guard had reason and made sense at the time in which they were made, but that time has passed and the Coast Guard should make the bold decision to return to a century’s long tradition of mariners wearing beards.
