Beards and Tattoos to Be Allowed in Polish Army
Polish Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced that in the coming days, changes will be made to military regulations that will allow soldiers to grow long beards and have tattoos in uncovered areas of the body.
This was reported by RMF FM.
At a press conference together with the Polish Ministry of Defence's Commissioner for Military Service Conditions Paweł Matęczuk, Kosiniak-Kamysz announced the planned changes to military regulations.
‘Until today, the statute states that a soldier can have a beard of up to 5 mm, but only after a dermatologist's decision. This is absolutely ridiculous,’ the Polish minister said.
Another change concerns soldiers' tattoos, which are currently allowed only on private parts of the body.
According to Kosiniak-Kamysz, this can cause discomfort for soldiers who cannot work in hot weather in short-sleeved T-shirts. In addition, soldiers complain about this in conversations with Commissioner Matenchuk.
‘You may say it's nothing. But the military is 200 thousand people. And for them, this is their daily life, daily pain or daily pleasure and quality of functioning,’ the head of the Polish Ministry of Defence stressed.
The Commissioner for the Conditions of Military Service clarified that the amendments to the regulations will come into force on 1 September.
According to them, soldiers will be allowed to have facial hair, which must be ‘neat and aesthetically pleasing’ and not interfere with their tasks. Soldiers will also be allowed to have tattoos not only on hidden parts of the body.
Earlier this year, after much discussion, British Army soldiers were officially allowed to wear moustaches and beards, provided they are neat and well-groomed.
Earlier, moustaches and beards were allowed in the armies of Denmark, Germany, Belgium, and the discussion is ongoing in Finland.