What Happens in Nevada…
Military.com reports that the first-ever waiver has been granted to a Nevada Army Guard soldier to grow a beard.
The Nevada Army Guard’s first religious accommodation waiver granted a Norse Pagan soldier permission to grow a beard. Now, it is considering two similar requests from Pagan soldiers, according to a recent Army news release.
In 2017, the Defense Department expanded the number of faiths it recognizes and released guidance on how troops can apply for a religious accommodation waiver that will let them wear otherwise-prohibited items, such as a turban, headscarf or beard, in accordance with their “sincerely held beliefs.”
Since then, the Army and Air Force have made headlines by granting waivers that accomodate service members of the Sikh and Muslim faiths, which often require wearing a turban or beard.
A waiver allowed Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin Hopper of the Nevada Army Guard’s 3665th Ordnance Company grow a Norse beard, or Skegg, which he sees as a “sacred and defining feature of masculine men.”
Later… Hopper, who is deployed to Afghanistan, states”
“Once I present my memorandum for record and cite all of the applicable regulations and directives, the focus on the beard tends to go away, for the most part,” he said. “I see it as a phase very similar to when the Army authorized the wear of black socks during the fitness test. It is something new and authorized, and you will always encounter people who do not like change. That is just life.”
So, there’s that.
Category: Afghanistan, Army, Army News
Hang on. I know Active Duty has been allowing this for quite a while, and one of my local MI BN’s has several officers sporting “Pagan” on their dog tags and beards on their faces.
So I’m surprised Military.com is packaging this as “First time”
Eh, its Nevada’s first time.
Which is a sentence I never thought I’d type.
Was Nevada’s own warrior son, Les Brownstain, consulted regarding this religious accommodation waiver?
I agree on SSG Kane’s comment.
The statement “Military com reports that the first-ever waiver has been granted to a soldier to grow a beard” is not true and can be misleading.
It is most likely a “First” for the Nevada National Guard.
I remembered meeting a US Army NCO in the late 1980s who was of the Sikh Faith who wore a Beard and a Turban with his BDUs as well as his Class A and Class B Uniform.
As long as he’s fighting beside me and not against me, a Sikh or a Gurkha can where whatever he pleases, as far as I care.
I remember when they relaxed the regs on
cookie dusters. It was a BFD.
Navy cookie duster relax was 1970. Have had mine ever since (though a little thin now). Doesn’t interfere with full face respiratory gear, which I wore many times in my profession.
Hell, there has been allowances made for everything else, why not a “Pagan” religion? Not sure if I would want a beard in the way if I had to put on a gas mask in a hurry. Seems like IIRC, that would affect the seal. Seems like I remember, too, that keeping facial hair removed was more for a hygiene effect v appearances. I wear a beard myself, that I keep clean and groomed. It is a known fact that beards attract and hold germs. It is also a known fact that beards can attract and hold the attention of some female companions. just saying
This is the purported reason the Navy did away with facial hair- poor seals on the emergency O2 Breathing Apparatus (OBA) used in fire fighting, a very real possibility on-board ships. Same with the portable O2 bottles used in multi-seat aircraft.
That and a uniform appearance, of course. Grew mine back, too, after I hung up the flight suit for the last time.
Pagan religions are legitimate religions that predate Christianity by hundreds of thousands of years.
“Paganism” is merely the Christian term for polytheistic religions that are not Christianity.
Norse “Paganism” itself is estimated to be at least as old or older than Christianity through oral tradition, though the first surviving written texts date back to the first century.
My point is that it is about time the military started following the constitution and treating non-Christian religions with the same deference as Christian religions.
The fun part is now separating the true “pagans” from the troops who just want to sport the term and reap the benefits. Had to deal with “wiccans” when that was the latest coolest thing. Actually had a Wiccan priest in my platoon that was tremendous help in sorting out the bullshitters. He had no problem calling out the fakes.
I imagine it will create some difficulty / extra work to determine who is real and who is a faker, But I believe that the 1st amendment demands that such be done, though it should be fair review process (No, I don’t really know how to ensure that), to avoid situations such as SSG Kane describes below.
In the Fire Service, there are similar issues at times, though the use of breathing apparatus is a much bigger part of our job than in the military. On the one side, you have Amish firefighters (typically volunteer) in some areas that cannot be certified due to the fact that the NFPA which sets safety and other standards requires you to be clean shaven to pass your mask fit. On the other end, some big cities, Baltimore is the first that comes to mind, has whole companies of Muslim Brotherhood types that are allowed to have beards, and as such, do NO interior firefighting.. this to me is a major problem, because they fail to perform a major part of the job, and shuffle that responsibility to the rest of the crews. Not apples to apples, but my 2 cents worth
Fyrfighter Does a class B firefighter get the same pay as a class A Firefighter, Don’t know if your Dept. has the Class A (interior)and class B (exterior) designated firefighters like the Long Beach NY FD out on Long Island NY where I put in 25 years beside the 5 in another Dept. When I started, we had demand only Scott & MSA’s then we got the positive pressure pacs which were great since each side of my face curved in a little at eye level and didn’t get a good seal. I remember when FDNY truck companies had those MSA canisters that hung from the neck with the hose attached to the mask. They were great at that time if you got a good job and had to run in real fast to try and make a grab.
Jeff,
With changes to NFPA standards, specifically 1001, the Class A / B has gone away, at least as a national thing. (there may still be local areas that allow such things) But to get certified according to 1001, as a Firefighter 1, you have to be capable of interior firefighting. FF II is a step up from that, which most paid departments require as well, along with Haz-Mat ops, which definitely requires SCBA
I know all the VFDs around me require all to be FFII. We have very few full time fire departments around here, so the volleys need FFI and FFII before they’ll allow them out on calls to do any more than guard the truck.
Thank god my department hasn’t gone this route. All the bums would be like, “yo, I need a beard!” If you are on the job, in a career department and you can’t properly don an SCBA face piece to affect fire extinguishment or a rescue, then the job isn’t for you. Being able to conduct an aggressive interior attack is how the shit is done. Beyond that, when the fire is out, what good is an “exterior firefighter”? Overhaul is when the real work begins. Do these “exterior firefighters” do overhaul? You are equally susceptible to cancer pulling ceilings once the fire is placed under control as you are when dwelling is on fire. If you need a beard that bad, get a different job. 2 cents from someone on the job in the northeast, in one of the biggest cities in the country.
I can’t speak to how big Army does it, but at my Reserve unit the Group (Brigade) commander is the final authority to approve or disapprove religious accommodations.
When I requested the accommodation for a beard I had to start the request with the company commander, who approved and sent me to the BN commander, who had me meet with a Chaplin, who wrote a letter recommending against the accommodation as my conversion was not sincere (my wife didn’t convert with me) and according to the Open Halls project beards aren’t required to be a Pagan.
The Group commander didn’t actually meet with me, but followed the recommendation of the BN Chaplin.
The irony to me, is that the Chaplin doesn’t believe Mormon’s (the religion I came from) is legit either.
I was told that I could complete a DA 4187 and request a review by some committee that I’d never heard of who could then advise the Commander, but that would be unlikely to change his mind.
Bleahbleahbleahbleahbleahbleah…
They already have (for years now) as it relates to Sikhs and Muslims. I don’t understand your comment, “it is about time the military started following the constitution and treating non-Christian religions with the same deference as Christian religion.”
Lars is talking shit again…
“again”? Does Lars ever NOT talk shite?
Christianity consists of more than just the New Testament, but also the Old and New Testaments. Christianity evolved from Judaism. The first Christians were Jews. Additionally, in order for someone to truly understand the New Testament, they have to truly understand the Old Testament. So, you have to push the history of Christianity much further back in time than the Roman Period. “Pagan” came from the Roman word “PAGANUS” which was a description similar to what the left would use to describe Trump supporters. The people that describe themselves as “pagans” are not using it properly either. “Pagan” is also another term for “nonbeliever”… As used by Romans. So, whatever non-Abrahamic religion someone practices, Christians, Jews, and others not practicing their same religion would be, to them, “pagans”. So, using “pagan religions” would not be appropos if those using that word understood why the Romans used that word. What you describe as “Norse paganism” is actually a collection of different religions that had evolved over time. Just as Judaism had evolved from religions prior to it coming into existence. However, unlike the non-Christian religions, Christian philosophy is embedded in Western thought. It played a key role in the West’s rising from the dark ages that followed the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. A lot of what is in Mosaic Law have winded their way not just into the New Testament, but into the thinking of our founders. It is the recipe to not only maintain freedom but prosperity. With both freedom and prosperity comes the growth and expansion of civilization. Western Civilization’s global success was no accident and is largely attributable to Judeo-Christian philosophy. This is a big reason why other religions have to push for waivers… The influence of Christianity in our civilization and the resulting Headstart that it had with our military and other aspects of life and way of doing things in the US. Also, the military has been abiding by the Constitution with regard to religious practices. These waivers have been in place for a long time. It was only a matter of time before… Read more »
I tested this. Its bunk with both the old (M-40) and new (M-50) masks.
And by bunk I mean both masks were cleared sealed properly while in a CS chamber.
My beard wasn’t two inches long (closer to an inch than two) and came following a three-month stint in which I didn’t have to drill.
Willing to bet your life on that, eh?
Yes.
A little vasoline goes a long way in making a seal around beards. It’s a quick extra step that can be incorporated into muscle memory.
I’m just glad as hell that we don’t use CHEMOX anymore for general shipboard firefighting. Those canisters were dangerous POS.
Thanks, and good to know. Next time I can test this I will.
If you’re going to a chem-war zone, you can shave off the beard. If you’re not in such a zone, you probably don’t even have chem gear issued, so it’s a moot point.
Just make it simple and take the word UNIFORM off military descriptions and ID’s It’s anything but now.
Us Canuckleheads are all allowed to have beards and smoke pot….with a few exceptions of course.
I was skeptical about the weed but DUI’s and alcohol related issues have declined significantly.
Alcoholism has always been a problem.
When I was in the Colorado guard we had a guy in my section with a beard waiver, but in his case it was because he was an undercover cop in civilian life. He also was allowed to wear his hair long.
In uniform? I knew of such things happening in my reserve unit, but they were forced to wear civies on UTA weekends if they couldn’t be within the uniform regs.
We had an NY detective who received a piss test waiver because of his constant exposure to pot and other drugs.
He also had a beard waiver, but that was medical (no shave profile).
I had a Soldier in the late 90’s that was prior service in the NM National Guard, told me that his unit did a lot of marijuana controlled burns for the DEA, and they’d be exempt from urinalysis for 30 days after. He declined to answer when I asked if he ever took advantage of that waiver…
Reinstate the Draft and flush out the careerists, cumdumpsters and LARP’ers. We’ll see how many “Warriors” show up to fight under GO #1 for half the pay without hookers or booze.
I was never accommodated with hookers and booze. I’m gonna call my congresspersons.
This is ridiculous.
How does religious accommodation makes us a better fighting force?
I was never “accommodated” for being Jewish.
“You don’t eat pork? Here, eat a vegetarian MRE.”
If you were Jewish or Muslim, single, living in the barracks, you could’ve gotten separate rations in order to accommodate your religious requirements. “Vegetarian” MRE’s are also considered “Multifaith” MRE’s because they meet the dietary restrictions of… yes, multiple faiths.
You were accommodated. You just didn’t know it.
Just want to add that they have Halal MREs now, which should also be good for kosher requirements. Pretty good, IMO.
We should ban all religious accommodations in the military then. All of them. Christianity as well. Including religions services using military maintained facilities. And all chaplains.
I wonder if the subsequent drop in moral will improve our fighting force?
Or do you think religious accommodation only improves moral when it is your religion being accommodated?
Bleahbleahbleahbleahbleahbleah…
Lars, the first moral (for morale) we’ll give you a pass on as it could be a typo.
The second moral (for moral) confirms our opinion that you’re not nearly as smart and well educated as you want us to believe.
And in this old fart’s case, the third moral (for morale) IS a typo.
It isn’t so much that liberals are ignorant, it’s just that they know so many things that aren’t so.” – Ronald Reagan
You are living, breathing proof of the truth of that statement, Commissar Seagull!
I was never “accommodated” for being Catholic.
“You don’t eat meat on Fridays? Here, have a
tofu fish stick”
How does any accommodation make us a better fighting force?
It expands the talent pool.
As a “Heathen”, I had a hard choice to make when I re-enlisted because my command said “No beards” because my beliefs in my faith wasn’t “sincere”, according to the Chaplin.
But let’s say I had made the choice not to re-enlist.
The Army would lose a “Combat Veteran” (Iraq, Afghanistan (contractor), and the Horn of Africa), who’s done multiple teaching rotations as an instructor, worked at BDE planning staff, and who has dedicated a lot of time and effort to sustaining and improving fellow soldiers within the regiment.
At the end of the day (and with a plan for the future), I opted to stay, but it was a hard decision.
As someone else mentioned, Gas Mask. Pray you are not in combat with an adversary that decides chemical weapons are just dandy. Well, you won’t have to worry for long. You have your whole life to grow a beard. give it a rest for a few years.
Bullshit excuse. Has always been a bullshit excuse. The ban was because facial grooming improved appearance, encouraged discipline, and “promoted camaraderie”.
Beards were banned since the founding of the Army of the Republic and did not become permitted again until the 1840s.
Lax grooming standards were permitted throughout all of the wars the US Army has ever participated in. Including WWI. Beards were tolerated in combat throughout WWI. Despite the risk of chemical weapons. There are plenty of written records of soldiers discussing hygiene including beards, and plenty of photographs.
The “gas mask” excuse is popular but there is no written records indicating that at the time the US Army band beards it was due to chemical weapons. The explicit justification in the original orders at the time discussed appearance, discipline, and camaraderie.
Jeez, Lars, you seem to be hell-bent on turning ol’ Poe into a frickin’ grammar Nazi.
“…there IS no written records…”???
“…BAND beards…”???
I tend to ignore grammar fuck-ups and sloppy spelling in comments and would do so in your case if you weren’t so damned smug about your superior intellect.
“Band beards”? Of cuss, the Army Band. But how will the female members of the Band, or is it Banned, comply with having beards in the Banned, or Band?
…granted a Norse Pagan soldier permission to grow a bear?
Norse Pagan? Is he going to request permission to attach the proper horns to his headgear?
Some of this gets to be a bit silly. Drawing attention to yourself to get “special” permission to do something is amateurish AND childish.
Like getting time off to go to religious services while the “non-believers cleaned the barracks and did ground maintenance during basic training?
Or is it just “other”religions that are silly?
I did NOT say that, you noron.
But YOU ARE silly and presumptuous as well as ignorant, and show your ignorant attitude every time you rattle on.
I went to basic in 1987, and I don’t recall that ever happening in my unit. People who wanted to go to church went, and everyone else hung out in the barracks. AFTER church services, however… La de da de and every fuckin’ body was scrubbing and polishing.
Commissar:
Out of curiousity, were you Prior Enlisted and went to Basic Training?
I don’t recall when I attended Basic Training any Soldier who chose not to attend Church services on Sunday having to “clean the barracks” or do “ground maintenance”.
They simply stayed in the barracks, most likely writing letters or shining their boots or just chillin.
Alot of them went to a church service because they wanted to get AWAY from the barracks.
Can you please clarify in what you wrote?
Clarification:
As a flaming liberal, Lars hates Christianity. That sums it up.
He’s pissed because he ~can’t~ grow a beard.
*estrogen profile*
IMHO he hates everything and everybody including himself.
Nah, it happened when I went in 2014, too. Almost everyone attended a service because the drill sergeants made sure you were busy if you didn’t. There was no chilling and hanging out “like you’re back on the block.” But to even it out, the church-goers put in a good amount of work, once they came back. Not ashamed to say I went to a different service every week just to see what church is like for the others, even though I’m an atheist.
I’m not sure how much you know about Pagan/Heathen beliefs, but they can be summed up as being based on historical records, oral histories, and traditions.
Contrary to popular belief, there’s no history of pre-18th century horned helms, outside of certain priests in the 8th century that wore headgear adorned with deer horns for ceremonial purposes.
I do like the idea of him being allowed to grow a bear though. That would be an awesome conversation piece in the barracks.
This is my Service Bear…RAWR….
The cow horned Norse helmet is completely bogus. The horns would defeat the function of the helmet—deflecting sword blows. Anyone wearing one in a fight would likely end up with a broken neck.
Yeah, we can thank the Opera and Hagar the Horrible (comic) for that particular myth.
The Romans did document some Germanic and Norse priests as wearing deer horns, which is likely where Wager got his inspiration, but as a military or religious context you are correct, it’s not a thing…
I’ll Horn in on rg769’s comment and say I agree with him.
When Wagner staged his “Der Ring des Nibelungen” opera cycle in the 1870s, costume designer Carl Emil Doepler created horned helmets for the Viking characters, and an enduring stereotype was born.
Malmström, Doepler and others may have been inspired by 19th-century discoveries of ancient horned helmets that later turned out to predate the Vikings.
Source: https://www.history.com/news/did-vikings-really-wear-horned-helmets
I did not say WHEN the horned helmets appeared, did I? No. They were pre-Viking.
Horns on Norse helmets was Hollywood or before, Ex. In real battle they would make great grips to twist, exposing the neck to an axe or simply breaking ones neck.
https://www.history.com/news/did-vikings-really-wear-horned-helmets
Now a blond Norse warrior goddess clad in chain mail? LEGIT!
*grin*
All the Valkyrie wore winged helmets, in Wagner’s distortion of history in the Ring Cycle. Poetic license, and not much else. 🙂
Now a blond Norse warrior goddess clad in chain mail? LEGIT!”
But, can she sing?
But… Valkyrie is black in the movies. Are you saying Hollywood is lying to us?
If I think silly religious shit… It’s always the Mormons.
Joseph Smith was a lying con man, I like to think of him as a 19th century LRon.
Golden plates, Jesus in America, blatant Masonic rip-offs and plenty of less believable shit 😉
As I recall, one of the arguments against facial
hair was that it could used as a grab point.
Grab em by the muttons?
How about man buns? Isn’t there some religion out
there sportin man buns?
Only samurai should be allowed man buns.
Well, women ARE allowed to wear buns, so what is your argument, now?
Samurai also carry about three feet of wicked sharp steel. They can have all the man-buns they want.
You ladies wear what you want, when you want. Us knuckle-draggers are just appreciative that you do.
It’s that sharp stick thing they put thru
it thus making the bun a “holster”.
Simple. All women must become samurai.
I requested “nudist buddhist” be put on my dogtags during a predeployment process. Denied.
We had a guy I deployed with request “No Demon” on his.
We had a guy with “Jedi” on his.
By the end of the deployment, he was serious about it too. He found solace and faith in the teachings of the Jedi which seemed to be based on meditation and select warrior traditions from the far east and Native America tribalism.
I have more respect for that guy than all the poser “wiccans” I had for a while. They were in it for the shock value and to stir the pot. I had a wiccan Soldier on extra duty tell me she couldn’t cut grass because “it hurt the plants and she could hear them crying out in pain”. So she ran a buffer till I got tired.
It started as a joke, but he found religion in the foxhole as it went. No idea if he kept it up after the deployment but yeah he really did try to find balance and truth and justice and all that.
That story is awesome. I may have to borrow it.
Funny how some people find religion during deployments, while other loses theirs.
I completely lost mine in Afghanistan.
R.E.M.
https://youtu.be/xwtdhWltSIg?t=3
I lost my Christianity and maybe I’m just a sheep for finding something to replace it with, but “heathenism” lets me make sense of what I’ve experienced and place it into a context where I don’t have to feel guilty.
“So she ran a buffer till I got tired.”
Of standing on it I hope…
Sexual innuendo detected!
I would have never expected this from you, Poe.
This does not apply to all of you, but it definitely applies to several commenters above…
If you are whining about the “special” treatment “other” religions are getting while having spent decades enjoying the “special” treatment Christianity has been granted in the ranks..,
Quit your bitching you damn hypocrites.
Where do I sign up for this “special” treatment for being a Christian?
Does it involve monetary compensation?
Are there support groups?
Its like white privilege, you already have it, you just don’t know it. /s
I’m not whining about “special treatment”. I’m all for religious accommodation, provided the mission does not suffer. What I don’t like and wouldn’t tolerate is phony piety from any religion. Don’t use your religion of lack of religion as a tool to shirk your job.
SFC D:
You mean as in this Soldier?
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/04/03/muslim-soldier-demoted-planning-to-sue-the-army-after-hijab-controversy/
How many of us remember discussing this “problem child” on a previous TAH Post? She was an Army Cook who complained that she had to cook PORK or could not be around Bacon Bits in the Messhall because it made her ill.
My attitude toward her has not changed. If she does not like her MOS, then change the MOS or better yet, get OUT of the Army and find another job.
She’s the poster child for my complaints. Fair disclosure: I had a former Soldier that played the “religious accommodation” card that had me cracking up. He was pending a medical discharge and was on rear D. I was getting daily reports downrange that SPC B, who was Jewish, albeit not exactly practicing, had taken to sporting a yarmulke IAW AR 670-1. Had he suddenly had a religious epiphany? Nope. The rear D commander, CPT E, was a complete prick, and apparently had problems with accommodations of any stripe. SPC B pretty much pushed this asshat right to edge of losing it and never violated a single reg. And now my hypocrisy is exposed. I’ll put myself in timeout.
In one of my Units before I retired we had a Jewish E6 who sported a Yarmulke and WOE BE to anyone who tried to dog him about it, Officer NCO or Enlisted but on the other side, he was one hell of an NCO!
I have never met a religious soldier with a visible religious accommodation that was a good soldier. To be fair, some have been perhaps close to average, but none have been good soldiers.
I never wore the kippah or yarmulke, because in the Judaism I was born in, you only cover your head for religious services.
I have served with several other jewish soldiers, and none of them required special treatment.
The one that did, was a comms nco that worked at battalion s6, and he was a shitbag. Like 20 years as a effing E5 on permanent profile, walking around with a friggin yarmulke.
Pleez.
I don’t think the Kippah, the real name of the Yarmulke, should be accommodated.
Judaism is full of waivers for not fulfilling mitzvot during deployments.
90 percent of American jews are not orthodox, and no even all orthodox groups use the kippah at all times.
There are 5.3 million jews in the US, of which only about half are religious, and of those the majority follow some type of Reform denomination, who only wear the kippah/yarmulke during religious services.
Intermarriage with non-jews exceed 60 percent, leading to the claim that American jews are disappearing. This BS of course, since Jewish identity had never been tied to religious observance. Not even before the Enlightenment or before the abolishment of the ghettos in Europe in the early 1800s.
Ninja, isn’t this the Hispanic female that converted to Islam while in the Army already?
This. ^^^ This is what is meant by many of the posts above and below expressing concerns about this accommodation. Before anybody goes up in arms about “people not accommodating other people’s religions”.
If the Soldier above is serious about his religion and is also serious about accomplishing the mission, then then the success of his waiver, and subsequent accommodation, is no issue.
thebesig:
Yup. You nailed it.
Amen!
Wait, am I allowed to say that?
Is there a Pagan equivalent?
“Quit your bitching you damn hypocrites.”
BITCH, PLEASE!!! You’re THE biggest whiny-bitch here, pookums! Ain’t it time for your enema at Brucie’s bath House (Entrance in the rear)?
Army? Beard? Norse Pagan?
OH NOES!!!!!
Where, oh where, is Mikey Whine-stein and the FFRF???
(said with tongue firmly in both cheeks)
This is for Slow Joe who commented “I was never “accommodated” for being Jewish.”
Check out the article and picture of US Army Chaplain Rabbi (Colonel), Retired Jacob Goldstein who retired in 2015 after serving 38 years with the Army Reserves:
https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/a-military-man-leaves-the-theater/
Then check out this 2010 article that addresses where he was deployed during his 38 years of service:
https://www.army.mil/article/42219/rare_army_rabbi_serves_soldiers
The story about SFC Hopper and his beard came out in August 2019.
Wonder why this is now (December) being addressed in the news media?
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/5993047/number-religious-accommodations-including-beards-likely-grow-nevada-guard-ranks
BTW, SFC Hopper is now on his 4th Deployment to Afghanistan where he is currently serving since August 2019:
https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2019/aug/21/nevada-guardsmen-bound-afghanistan-send-off/
He keeps his beard groomed in accordance with AR 670-1 and most likely has no problem wearing a chemical mask if the situation arises where he will need to wear it.
Am sure he was fitted with his JSLIST before being deployed.
SFC Hopper is also EOD. Don’t know he held another MOS, but it looks as if he is wearing a CIB on his uniform.
Our Military constantly evolves. Sometimes change may be good. Sometimes it may not be good.
Time usually tells if change is positive or negative.
Speaking of Nevada, any word on ‘Alaska Bob’s’ much anticipated hard copy of his DD-214? Just asking
I forgot all about Alaskan Bob’s DD-214 being carried on Sgt. Preston of the Yukon’s dog sled along with his dog King. Maybe they stopped for breakfast and are scarfing down the ceriel that is shot out of a cannon, so I’ll just sit here, read the comments and will grin and beard it all.
Tool.
I remember when a lot of the black dudes always had the shaving profiles and would try to style that shit.
I saw that too. Mostly black guys. Is pseudofolliculitis barbae considered a religion now too?
We had a small race riot in Germany when a white guy got a no shave profile.
We had a small race riot in California when a black sag dude found out his German imported found wife definitely did NOT have a shaving profile!
SSG…. not sag.
The only affection Lars gets is from coming to TAH and making comments that he hopes will get him treated like a kicked puppy.
Dude just ask for a hug instead. It’s ok man.
The pisser of it is, and I hate to admit this, but about half the time I agree with 50% of what Lars is saying.
But then he’s gotta go and fuck it up in the name of attention whoring.
I won’t go 50%, but there have been times he’s made excellent points only to piss them away with attitude and condescension.
Agreed.
He reminds me of a sophomore returning home from college to visit his parents who work hard paying for it.
Dad is just simply happy to have his Son home and visiting and all the Son can manage to do is be smug and confrontational about everything because he now knows everything.
Y’know, it’s real easy – I look at the title of an article, see if there is any way a condescending prick can be an asshole about any facet of it, and look at the comment count to see if it is at least 50% higher than any neighboring article… 100% reliable Lars detector. Between him and everyone firing back at him, it’s rare to see less than 80 comments on a thread.
Religious exemptions are discriminatory.
In a way, all exemptions to published regulations are discriminatory. However, the alternative is to forbid completely the use of common sense and blindly follow all regulations without deviation.
I think I’ll opt for leadership that uses common sense and makes exceptions, thanks. Even if they often seem to “Fornicate Fido” (that’s Politically Correctean for “screw the pooch”) when it comes to applying that common sense, I believe the outcome overall is better.
If one guy can have a beard then any guy can have a beard…his big guy in the sky is irrelevant.
The whole situation can be avoided with the aforementioned common sense by allowing anyone that wants to grow a beard to simply do so.