When Admiral Elmo Zumwalt became Chief of Naval Operations in 1970, he began issuing his famous “Z-grams” containing initiatives that he reasoned would boost recruitment and retention, which included allowing longer hair, beards and sideburns.

Then Secretary of the Navy, John Chafee (who was a former Marine, BTW), stated that the relaxed rules would improve the Navy’s fighting ability by encouraging more men to remain in the service. He also claimed that the liberal grooming standards were in line with tradition, given that the “Father of the Navy”—John Paul Jones—had long hair.

Yes, I understand the gasmask argument.  But raise your hand if you need more than four fingers to count how many times you wore it during GWOT.  And you know as well as I do that two of those times were during work-ups, one was while you were drunk at a barracks party, and the other was in Kuwait, on your way to Iraq, when that first-deployment douchebag NCO yelled, "GAS, GAS, GAS!", as you were still unloading your gear from the plane.  And Bro, that was the MARINE CORPS!!  You're telling me that dudes on ships can't have beards?  C'mon.  Let's bring them back.  It's a stupid rule.  Thanks.    

Make the Navy bearded again!    

"Ey, this is a special what's happenin' to all my, all my soldiers over there in Iraq. Everybody right here, what you need to do is be thankful for the life you got, you know what I'm sayin? Stop lookin' at what you ain't got and start being thankful for what you do got."

T.I. - "Live Your Life"