This petition was submitted during the 2015-2017 parliament
Petition To allow soldiers who serve in the British Army to wear neat/trimmed facial hair
The Royal Navy are allowed to grow beards through their tradition. The British Army used to grow beards however that was lost and now they have to parade clean shaven. Growing a beard hugely increases moral (from a survey) and contributes to operational effectiveness through psychological means.
More details
Many Middle Eastern and Indian cultures associated wisdom and power with facial hair. As a result, facial hair and moustaches became increasingly common among British soldiers during the great wars. During the Crimean War, all ranks were encouraged to grow full beards during winter. More recently, the British Army has been seen sporting a full range of stubble, moustaches and beards on Ops to blend in.
Given the current Terrorism Level, it also helps to 'blend in' in a civilian environment.
This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months