As society evolves, the military has responded to new trends such as the growing number of soldiers with fashionable beards and tattoos.
The regulations were updated to accommodate these changes, which previously prohibited soldiers from having facial hair and required them to cover their body art.
Previously, Polish soldiers needed special approval from a dermatologist to have facial hair up to 5 mm in length.
Although Polish soldiers are still prohibited from wearing piercings, undergoing scarification, or having heavily pierced ears, the new regulations, effective from early September 2024, now permit tattoos on the arms and forearms and facial hair up to 3 mm.
The principle is that soldiers must maintain a "well-groomed, neat, and aesthetically pleasing" appearance that does not interfere with their duties.
Tattoos are allowed as long as their content is not widely considered offensive or unacceptable.
Source: PAP/X/@WCR_Mielec/@OZWwElblagu
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