As the Pentagon seeks to build a fitter force, everything is under review — from a new PT test to eliminating the dreaded body fat tape test to changing how troops eat and exercise.
Army Command Sgt. Maj. John Troxell, the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, says beards would detract from a professional military image.
The U.S. military needs to grow to meet the growing threat of near-peer competitors like Russia and China while also continuing the fight against extremist groups around the globe.