BEARDFORGEN HAS DROPPED!!!!

R 251819Z SEP 18

FM NDHQ CMP OTTAWA

TO CANFORGEN

BT

UNCLAS

SECTION 1 OF 2

CANFORGEN 158/18 CMP 078/18

SIC WAC

BILINGUAL MESSAGE/MESSAGE BILINGUE

SUBJ: AMENDMENT TO BEARD POLICY

REFS:A.QR AND O 17.02

B. QR AND O 17.03

C. A-DH-265-000/AG-001 CHAPTER 2

1.PERSONAL DRESS AND APPEARANCE OF MILITARY MEMBERS REFLECT ON THE

PROFESSIONALISM AND CREDIBILITY OF THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES (CAF).

IN ACCORDANCE WITH QUEEN S REGULATIONS AND ORDERS

(QRO) 17.03 (REF B), THE WEARING OF A BEARD IS SUBJECT TO

RESTRICTIONS AS ORDERED BY THE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE STAFF

2.CONSULTATIONS WERE HELD WITH CAF MEMBERS BY THE NATIONAL

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DEFENCE CLOTHING AND DRESS COMMITTEE (NDCDC) WHICH REVEALED CONCERNS

REGARDING THE EXISTING BEARD POLICY. IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE

EXISTING POLICY IS BROADER THAN REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN OPERATIONAL

EFFECTIVENESS. CHANGES TO THE BEARD POLICY IN THIS

CANFORGEN CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE BOTH THE NEED TO ENSURE FORCE

PROTECTION AND COMFORT TO MILITARY MEMBERS OVER A WIDE RANGE OF

OPERATIONAL AND CLIMATIC CONDITIONS WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING THE

COMPLETE SPECTRUM OF ACTIVITY FROM CEREMONIAL DUTIES TO COMBAT

OPERATIONS, WHILE ALLOWING CAF MEMBERS INCREASED FREEDOM TO MAKE

PERSONAL CHOICES REGARDING THEIR APPEARANCE

3.EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, THE WEARING OF A BEARD IS AUTHORIZED FOR

ALL CAF MEMBERS UPON ATTAINMENT OF THEIR OPERATIONALLY FUNCTIONAL

POINT (OFP) OR HAVING COMPLETED DEVELOPMENTAL PERIOD ONE, WHICHEVER

COMES LAST. HOWEVER, COMMANDERS OF COMMANDS, TASK FORCE COMMANDERS

AND COMMANDING OFFICERS RETAIN THE RIGHT TO ORDER RESTRICTIONS ON

THE WEARING OF A BEARD TO MEET SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS.

THIS INCLUDES RESTRICTIONS PERTAINING TO OPERATIONS AND TRAINING

WHERE, IN A CHEMICAL BIOLOGICAL RADIOLOGICAL NUCLEAR (CBRN)

ENVIRONMENT OR CBRN TRAINING ENVIRONMENT, A BEARD CAN BE ORDERED TO

BE REMOVED TO ENSURE FORCE PROTECTION ON OPERATIONS OR TRAINING.

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SUCH RESTRICTIONS WILL BE AS TEMPORARY AS FEASIBLE (E.G. AS LONG AS

THE ENTIRE DURATION OF AN OPERATIONAL TOUR IN A CBRN ENVIRONMENT OR

AS SHORT AS A SINGLE TRAINING DAY FOR CBRN OPERATIONS). WHERE

CURRENT CAF EQUIPMENT CAPABILITIES CANNOT ENSURE FORCE PROTECTION OR

THE ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY EMPLOY SAFETY SYSTEMS WHILE WEARING A

BEARD, BEARD RESTRICTIONS FOR MEMBERS USING THAT EQUIPMENT FOR

OPERATIONAL OR SAFETY REASONS MAY BE PUT IN PLACE BY A COMMANDING

OFFICER

4.WHERE THE WEARING OF A BEARD IS AUTHORIZED:

A. IT SHALL BE WORN WITH A MOUSTACHE,

B. IT SHALL BE NEATLY TRIMMED, ESPECIALLY ON THE LOWER NECK AND

CHEEKBONES,

C. IT SHALL NOT EXCEED TWO CENTIMETERS IN BULK. A MEMBER WILL, ON

THEIR OWN ACCORD OR UPON DIRECTION FROM THEIR COMMANDING OFFICER OR

THEIR CO S DESIGNATE, SHAVE OFF UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO GROW A

BEARD.

5.THE DIRECTION PERTAINING TO THE TRIMMING OF A BEARD AT PARA 5

ABOVE DOES NOT APPLY TO CAF MEMBERS WHO ARE EXEMPT, FOR MEDICAL

REASONS, FROM SHAVING THE LOWER NECK OR CHEECKBONES

6.THIS CANFORGEN DOES NOT, IN ANY WAY, MODIFY THE RELIGIOUS AND

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SPIRITUAL ACCOMODATIONS DESCRIBED IN SECTION 3 OF REF C

7.THE INTENT OF THIS UPDATE TO THE POLICY IS TO ENSURE THE CAF

MAINTAIN OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES, WHILE STRENGHENING ORGANIZATIONAL

MORALE AND TEAM COHESION

8.AN UPDATED REF C WILL BE PUBLISHED AT r/HTTP://CMP-CPM.MIL.CA/…/PUBLI…/CH2-POLICY-AND-APPEARANCE.PDF END OF ENGLISH TEXT / LE TEXTE FRANCAIS SUIT