The Pentagon can resist all it wants, but beards have made a comeback.
The Official Journal of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society even conducted a study to explore how others perceive individuals with (or without) facial hair. Women rated men with facial hair as more attractive and appearing healthier than those who were clean-shaven—and now male service members want change.
Related: The Army was more lethal when these 6 beards were in command
Today’s military men, however, are just going to have to rely on the uniform to gain an edge over civilians. Since the advent of the gas mask, facial hair has been strictly regulated by the military. There are certain exceptions, however, such as a new regulation allowing service members to wear a beard for religious reasons or operations where a beard could help service members blend in better with the local population.
But until the U.S. military embraces the beard, it’ll remain a rare sight on our warriors.
All the more reason to admire the best military beards in history.
“Cowboy”
In 2002, Scott Nelson photographed a U.S. Army Special Forces unit in Afghanistan as they began to amp up their pursuit of terrorists in the area. One of the soldiers photographed went by the nickname “Cowboy”—and he’s been rather shrouded in mystery ever since.
Nonetheless, it could be argued that he has the OG operator beard, so much so that Danger Close Games used his likeness as inspiration when finding and outfitting the model for their “Medal of Honor” game.
Something about the tactical environment makes this otherwise too-long-in-my-opinion beard completely OK.
Gen. Ambrose Burnside
No list of military facial hair is complete without the man whose whiskers were so incredible that the world named a patch of facial hair after him.
Prince Harry of Wales
The pictures of the bearded prince in his flight suit at the 2015 Battle of Britain Flypast are why I am now in full favor of allowing beards in uniform.
Harry served from 2005-2015, even secretly deploying on combat missions in Afghanistan before his location was publicized and he was pulled out for security reasons. He’s the epitome of cool, he fully recognizes the meaning and importance of service, and he’s proof that a military beard can still look professional.
Ulysses S. Grant
The man led the Union to victory and served two terms as president. That is the beard of victory right there.
Maj. Gen. George Crook
Crook cut his teeth fighting Native American tribes in Oregon before the Civil War. When he was called on to serve the Union, he used the same tactics in the face of the rebel enemy. His beard is exactly the kind you’d expect from a man the Apaches called “Grey Wolf.”
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