A military question for our astute members

My Dad dropped off some DVD's he recently transfered from old VHS tape of newscasts about the recovery of the Challenger in the Atlantic Ocean.

In one scene is a NASA spokesman and sitting next to him is a guy dressed in Air Force blues, but he has a wicked month growth of beard and mustache.

My question is, when did the military allow beards and a mustache while in uniform? Was this guy retired or something.

Sorry, I don't have a picture.

[edit on 12-1-2008 by ben91069]

Sorry, I do have pictures now. Who is this guy?

Slightly off topic, in the field they tend to be more relaxed on the issue of facial hair.

In pictures: Marines' moustaches

It's Dean Stockwell

He always plays military types.

MonKey

reply to post by ChiKeyMonKey


Me thinks you watched one too many episodes of Quantum Leap.....

Being ex-military, I have to agree that when you are out in the field, things are a bit more relaxed, and they let you grow it out a bit more. But the man in the photograph would not have a beard or mustache with that much hair because then it is against regulation. The man might be ex-military, but if he was currently in, they'd make him trim it down to size or give him, after enough warnings, an Article 15.

What about regulation for certain special forces or operatives? You know, like Delta or DEVGRU.

reply to post by Wally Conley



...........and especially on a high-profile televised conference concerning the recovery of one of our space shuttles. For publicities sake, it would be a bad image for the Air Force.

reply to post by Jazzyguy

the regulations are followed even more rigidly by Delta, the Green Berets, DEVGRU, and all the rest.

In the Navy, you could get a waiver to grow a beard for medical and religious reasons. This guy looks like he might be orthodox jewish. Kind of Kissinger'ish. No religious offense intended.

[edit on 13-1-2008 by seawolf197]