Military Aviation A forum for the professionals who fly military hardware. Also for the backroom boys and girls who support the flying and maintain the equipment, and without whom nothing would ever leave the ground. All armies, navies and air forces of the world equally welcome here.

RAF Beards...?

Old 12th Aug 2019, 12:18
  #101 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Around
Posts: 1,197
Received 114 Likes on 51 Posts
Oddly enough not a single airman under my command who has left in the last 5 or so years has cited the lack of beards as a reason for PVRing.
downsizer is online now  
Old 12th Aug 2019, 13:53
  #102 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 657
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Beards only look right on sailors and Action Man.

Last edited by Parson; 12th Aug 2019 at 14:21.
Parson is offline  
Old 12th Aug 2019, 16:03
  #103 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 32,742
Received 2,727 Likes on 1,160 Posts
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49313406


So now its out there, will this mean the Navy can have moustaches?

The Army will still need to write to Betty

Prince Harry was given special permission from the Queen to keep his beard during his wedding as he chose to wear his Army uniform during the ceremony.
NutLoose is offline  
Old 13th Aug 2019, 08:08
  #104 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Erewhon
Posts: 474
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oh well, further degradation of standards. (Don't bother to harangue as it's water off a duck's back)

Perhaps a measure of how difficult recruitment to HM Forces is nowadays.

I can't imagine why . . .
Brian W May is offline  
Old 13th Aug 2019, 10:48
  #105 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Wilts
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Grief, it will be tattoos next. Ah, think that's been discussed before.
Bladdered is offline  
Old 14th Aug 2019, 14:26
  #106 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Fieldsworthy
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
Received 33 Likes on 17 Posts
Originally Posted by The Oberon
Different guy. No wings but definitely looks related

Eclan is offline  
Old 14th Aug 2019, 15:36
  #107 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: 4 Civvy Street. Nowhere-near-a-base. The Shires.
Posts: 559
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by Eclan
Different guy. No wings but definitely looks related

I did not know Edward Smith was Royalty.

Must have been revealed in a new conspiracy theory about his ship that I haven't read yet.
camelspyyder is offline  
Old 14th Aug 2019, 15:53
  #108 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
Posts: 7,803
Received 135 Likes on 63 Posts
I have to assume recruiting and retention was going fine in the 60s, otherwise we* would have been allowed shoulder-length hair back then?


* blokes, obviously!
MPN11 is online now  
Old 14th Aug 2019, 17:32
  #109 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: SW England
Age: 77
Posts: 3,896
Received 16 Likes on 4 Posts
[QUOTE]I have to assume recruiting and retention was going fine in the 60s, otherwise we* would have been allowed shoulder-length hair back then?[QUOTE]

Just reminded me of an occasion when we were sitting in the mess dining room at Akrotiri having breakfast when 3 very long haired types in flying suits came and sat at an adjacent table. I thought our very stuffy squadron CO was going to have a stroke, as long hair was a bête noire of his. He was just getting up to administer a huge bollocking to the offending blokes when one of our number pointed out that they were a civvy Canberra crew, who I think flew target facilities aircraft for the Navy from Exeter
Tankertrashnav is offline  
Old 14th Aug 2019, 18:10
  #110 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
Posts: 7,803
Received 135 Likes on 63 Posts
Nice, TTN.

I confess during my quasi-civvy times at NATS I may have exceeded the usual RAF norms. A bit ‘Beatle’ could be a good accusation!
MPN11 is online now  
Old 14th Aug 2019, 18:49
  #111 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Dead Dog Land
Age: 77
Posts: 531
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Originally Posted by MPN11
I have to assume recruiting and retention was going fine in the 60s, otherwise we* would have been allowed shoulder-length hair back then?


* blokes, obviously!
Quite true, I remember, in 1967, as a young JT at Wittering, piling into my old Ford Zephyr with 5 others and driving across to Spalding to see Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd. Must have looked total prats in kaftans and flares with regulation haircuts
The Oberon is offline  
Old 14th Aug 2019, 19:48
  #112 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
Posts: 7,803
Received 135 Likes on 63 Posts
Originally Posted by The Oberon
Quite true, I remember, in 1967, as a young JT at Wittering, piling into my old Ford Zephyr with 5 others and driving across to Spalding to see Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd. Must have looked total prats in kaftans and flares with regulation haircuts
Oh, pass the eye bleach! I know exactly how you felt, but by 67 I was at tengah, and close-shorn. It was the heat, you know!.
MPN11 is online now  
Old 14th Aug 2019, 20:12
  #113 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Station 42
Age: 69
Posts: 1,081
Received 88 Likes on 35 Posts
Airmen leave because they're not allowed a beard? What! Perhaps they should grow some b****cks instead. God-knows how they'd have survived in the old Number 2 uniforms and had to share a billet & make bed packs once a year for the AOC's inspection. I can feel the snowflakes melting as I type...
stevef is online now  
Old 14th Aug 2019, 22:49
  #114 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Near the coast
Posts: 2,364
Received 508 Likes on 143 Posts
Relaaaaaaaax...

I don’t think anyone is suggesting that men feel unable to serve because they are not allowed facial fluff.

The change to the rules is a great example of how the RAF feels able to move with the times a little.

Facial hair is perfectly smart and standards are not slipping because beards are now permitted.

Remember. It’s not wrong. It’s just different.

For the record, I have flown a fast jet whilst adorned with a beard for the past two years and the world has not stopped turning.

May I please repeat. Times have changed. This is not the 1950’s any more. For better or worse.

BV
Bob Viking is online now  
Old 15th Aug 2019, 00:21
  #115 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: these mist covered mountains are a home now for me.
Posts: 1,784
Received 29 Likes on 12 Posts
Yes, but you are a Viking !!!
Runaway Gun is offline  
Old 15th Aug 2019, 06:54
  #116 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: East Anglia
Posts: 759
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Do the bearded folk have to cover the beard in Vaseline (other products are available!) before donning a face-wellie?
FantomZorbin is offline  
Old 15th Aug 2019, 07:17
  #117 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Posts: 26,795
Received 270 Likes on 109 Posts
Presumably someone will produce guidance? Otherwise the RAF could find itself with a few ZZ Top lookalikes...

Pony tails next?
BEagle is online now  
Old 15th Aug 2019, 07:43
  #118 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Somewhere Sunny
Posts: 1,601
Received 14 Likes on 8 Posts
Originally Posted by Eclan
Different guy. No wings but definitely looks related

Gosh! Harry's aged a bit
Whenurhappy is offline  
Old 15th Aug 2019, 10:35
  #119 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Around
Posts: 1,197
Received 114 Likes on 51 Posts
Originally Posted by BEagle
Presumably someone will produce guidance? Otherwise the RAF could find itself with a few ZZ Top lookalikes...
They have. And we won't.
downsizer is online now  
Old 15th Aug 2019, 20:24
  #120 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 1,136
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A question or two for those in opposition to face fungus.

Are there any specific triumphs in the RAF’s 100 year history that can be attributed to lack of beards, or where a beard would have eroded the chance of success?

Are there any obvious ways in the 100 years to come that the presence of a beard might spell disaster?
orca is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.