in the military he could not have facial hair, and the first thing he did upon retirement was grow a beard.
Yep, except when I first enlisted back in '79 right out of high school you could have a beard in the USCG and USN. Only thing was all I could grow was the beard part and not the mustache! I looked like Captain Ahab! Then sometime around 1985 they changed it and said no beards at all for any service member. That made a lot of folks really mad. I know of one Chief I worked with that actually retired over it. When I finally retired in 2002 after 23yrs, it took me a couple of years to finally decide to grow one. When I shaved it off on Father's Day this year it was the first time in about 8yrs. I did inform my wife though that hunting season is upon us and the deal was to grow it back when that started :>) I'm starting at the end of Aug. Not sure it'll come off again.
My beard has been around for more than twenty years. None of my children have never seen me without it. In a previous life had to present my self to all types of people, and I never had any negative comments about my beard. Only thing that affected my business was when local news would run a segment on shady contractors ripping off little old ladies. Tough to get new work after that. Then the economy killed my business, beard or no beard.
I trimmed mine down to a #3 last night. Then gave me and the boy a hair cut. Now I feel nekkid. That will be it for trimming for the remainder of the year. I put the clippers away


