Hegseth allegedly bristles at meeting bearded USFK soldiers

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is allegedly deploying a razor-sharp standard during his visit to Korea this week, with the man himself apparently refusing to meet any “beardos” at Osan Air Base.

Email outlining beard restrictions for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's visit to Osan Air Base, Korea, posted on an unofficial "Air Force "amn/nco/snco" Facebook page [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is allegedly deploying a razor-sharp standard during his visit to Korea this week, with the man himself apparently refusing to meet any “beardos” at Osan Air Base.

Task & Purpose, an independent news outlet, reported Monday that an email was sent to the 51st Fighter Wing at Osan Air Base, Korea, saying that “Members with shaving waivers are NOT authorized to attend.”

The email with the subject listed as “SECWAR Troop Engagement Attendance Tasking” was posted on the Facebook page of the unofficial Air Force "amn/nco/snco" page Monday, along with the caption “No Beardos allowed at Osan” and hashtag “#PriceOfTheWaiver.”

“Is the waiver in the room with us right now?” read one comment. Another read “Can an ‘operator’ with a beard attend?”

The five-year shaving waiver did not require annual renewals until January this year, but the Air Force reversed the policy, which was implemented in 2020 for exceptional cases, such as airmen with pseudofolliculitis barbae or PFB — a skin condition common among Black men that is worsened by shaving.

After a memo unleashed by Hegseth on Sept. 30, the waivers are now only effective on a temporary basis for skin issues.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington on Aug. 26. [AFP/YONHAP]

The email comes at the heels of the controversial Sept. 30 speech made by Hegseth at Quantico, Virginia, where the defense secretary went on a tirade against “the era of unprofessional appearance” and “the age of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles is done,” calling bearded soldiers “beardos.”

“It's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the country and the world,” said Hegseth, in front of hundreds of generals and admirals. He also said that the U.S. military is not “full of Nordic Pagans” in the same speech.

According to Task & Purpose, Pentagon officials referred the outlet to the Air Force when asked for a statement of the alleged refusal to engage with “beardos.” The news outlet also confirmed that the authenticity of the email with an Air Force official and that Hegseth will be meeting troops as part of his visit to Korea.

Hegseth is scheduled to visit Asia this week to highlight the U.S. military’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region. His itinerary includes stops in Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Malaysia.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]