3 ms·
If you’ve ever wondered why the military has a [extremely Sgt Maj Sixta] grooming standard, this should enlighten. Gas masks don’t seal on beards.
by neurobashing 7y ago
If you’ve ever wondered why the military has a [extremely Sgt Maj Sixta] grooming standard, this should enlighten. Gas masks don’t seal on beards.
- IvyMike 7y agoSupposedly that's why Hitler had his distinctive mustache.
- jshevek 7y agoI never heard this before, so I looked into it just now. There appears to be some dispute, since he allegedly had the closely cropped mustache before WW1, which was when he was allegedly ordered to crop it short for gas masks.
- m0zg 7y agoUS military allows Sikh men to keep their beards IIRC. I wonder what those men will do in the case of a chemical attack.
- samatman 7y agoThe Canadian Minister of Defense, also a Sikh, has a relevant patent: https://www.sikhnet.com/news/defense-minister-sajjan-patented-military-sikh-gas-mask https://www.sikhnet.com/news/defense-minister-sajjan-patente...
- remarkEon 7y agoLots of other militaries allow their soldiers to maintain groomed beards. The US is actually kind of an outlier in this regard. But, the military being the military, should they enter a theatre that has a significant likelihood of chemical attack I'm sure those grooming standards would change.
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]
- burfog 7y agoThe simpler solution is a seal that works inside the lips. This works much better even for people without beards. It's also smaller and lighter, which matters for all the times the gear must be carried but not actually worn.
- AstralStorm 7y agoThe problem is that mouth seal is inconvenient. Interferes with speaking much more than even a full mask. (Try talking with scuba gear tube in.)