Campaigners welcome long overdue lifting of Army beard ban

Beard Liberation Front

29^th March

Media Release

Contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett 07803 167266

Campaigners welcome long overdue lifting of Army beard ban

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has welcomed the long overdue lifting of the ban on beards in the British Army, announced on Friday.

The Navy and more recently the RAF do allow beards, although with the proviso that they are neat and orderly rather than ZZ Top style

The Beard Liberation has since 1995 advocated for the right of people to be able to dress and appear as they want obviously in this case within the framework of a uniformed service.

The British Army historically has not been entirely bereft of beards. The Crimean War in the 1850s where soldiers grew bushy beards to keep the cold and frost out is often noted. Various other nineteenth century British imperial adventures saw the involvement of hirsute soldiers. Even today a range of ‘special forces’ – for example those that were deployed in Afghanistan – are allowed to have beards.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, this is a decision which we welcome in principle. It does not of course mean that we are signing up to everything the British Army may get up to while its soldiers are wearing well-manicured beards.