USAF Issues New Rules for ‘Grooming Standards Separations’

The Department of the Air Force released new guidance telling commanders to begin separating Airmen and Guardians who have had medical shaving profiles for too long.

The July 28 memo, “Changes to Military Separations Incorporating Grooming Standards Separations,” was posted on the amn/nco/snco Facebook page. An Air Force official confirmed that Andersen’s memo is authentic.

Teh memo updates a December 2025 policy issued after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a crackdown on deviations from military grooming standards. It directs commanders to consider separating Airmen and Guardians who have held shaving profiles for more than 12 of the past 24 months and who remain unable to conform to grooming standards.

“Members accumulating more than 12 months of medical profiles for shaving within a 24-month period who remain unable to meet grooming standards must be considered for separation under this provision,” wrote Richard L. Anderson, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

Commanders must either initiate involuntary separation or submit a retention recommendation to their chain of command.

The policy change does not affect religious waivers for Sikhs, Muslims, and other religious groups permitted to wear beards under religious accommodations.

Service members separated “solely on the basis of the condition” and not for deliberate disregard of the policy will be discharged under honorable conditions, the memo states. The new policy should not be used to separate members who otherwise would be separated for unsatisfactory performance or misconduct, the memo states.

Commissioned officers considered for separation under the policy “must be formally counseled on their deficiencies and given an opportunity to correct those deficiencies,” the memo said.

Commander “seeking to retain members unable to meet grooming standards due to facial hair” can refer their recommendations to their chain of command. Retentions may be granted on a “case-by-case” basis, the memo states, and should only be approved if there is a “compelling government interest” for retention, such as:

Low manning and retention rates in the Airman or Guardian’s career specialty
The Airman or Guardian has special experience or specialized training
The cost and time required to replace the individual is extensive
The Airmen or Guardian is close to retirement

The Air Force Surgeon General previously authorized profiles of up to five years in 2020. But in a Sept. 30, 2025 memo, Hegseth ordered the services to revise their policies, saying beards, goatees, and other facial hair that could interfere with a proper seal on a chemical protective mask or firefighter respirator would be prohibited. Service members suffering from conditions such as Pseudofolliculitis Barbae, also known as PFB or razor bumps, could no longer hold medical shaving profile for extended periods of time. PFB is a skin condition caused by ingrown hairs, which can become infected and make shaving painful.

The Air Force updated its policy in December 2025, advising commanders and medical professionals to provide preventive education on appropriate shaving hygiene for Airmen and Guardians at risk of getting PFB. Treatments can include medication and laser hair removal.