Army Directive 2026-09 changed both the standard and the process. Sideburns must now be trimmed above the opening of the ear canal, male Soldiers stay clean-shaven in uniform, and mustaches remain authorized. A religious accommodation request is no longer a memo: it needs a DA Form 2823 sworn statement taken under oath by a commissioned officer, a mandatory chaplain interview, and a commander's operational assessment before it routes to an O-5. The chaplain interview is expressly not privileged.
| Branch | Controlling publication | Dated | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army | ARMY DIR 2026-09 Current Controlling: current standard and waiver process | 2026-05-19 | Official link |
| Army | AR 670-1 Current Underlying wear and appearance regulation ⚠ partly amended by ARMY DIR 2023-01, ARMY DIR 2022-09 | 2021-01-26 | Official link |
| Army | AR 600-20 Current Army command policy on accommodation | 2026-04-15 | Official link |
Check your own before your next formation: sideburns are now trimmed to above the opening of the ear canal, effective immediately, with male Soldiers clean-shaven in uniform and mustaches still authorized.
“SUBJECT: Army Directive 202 6-09 (Grooming Standards and Religious Accommodation) 2 a. Sideburn Grooming Standards. (1) All male Soldiers will maintain a clean -shaven face when in uniform or on duty in civilian attire in accordance with reference 1f . Mustaches remain authorized . (2) Effective immediately, s ideburns will be trimmed to above the opening of the ear canal . b. Religious Accommodation for Uniform, Grooming , and Appearance. (1) The Army defines religion as a personal set or institutionalized system of attitudes, moral or ethical beliefs, and practices that are held with the strength of traditional religious views, characterized by ardor or faith, and generally evidenced through spec ific religious observances. A religious exercise includes any exercise of religion, whether or not compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief. (2) Variance from the uniform,”… (paragraph continues in the PDF)
Do not submit a plain request memo — the packet requires a DA Form 2823 sworn statement signed under oath, and the oath must be administered by a commissioned officer authorized under Article 136, such as a judge advocate, an S1, or a commanding officer.
“SUBJECT: Army Directive 202 6-09 (Grooming Standards and Religious Accommodation) 4 e. Implementation Guidelines and Processing Instructions . (1) RA Request s. When making a request, Soldiers must sign a written D epartment of the Army (D A) Form 2823 (sworn statement) under oath. This oath must be administered by a commissioned officer authorized under Article 136 of the U niform Code of M ilitary Justice (UCMJ) , such as any judge advocate ; any adjutant or personnel section (S 1); any commanding officer ; or any officer designated as a notary public. In this statement, Soldier s affirm that their belief is sincerely held and religious in nature. False statements may be subject to disciplinary action under Article 107 of the UCMJ ( False official statements) or denial of accession as ap propriate. Each request must adhere to the guidelines prescribed at enclosure 1 of this directive”… (paragraph continues in the PDF)
Every applicant is interviewed by an Army chaplain, held one level above your unit where operationally feasible, and the chaplain writes a memorandum addressing the religious basis and the sincerity of the belief.
“4. Chaplain Interview . a. All applicants for RA will be interviewed by an Army c haplain. When operationally feasible, the interview will occur at least one level higher than the unit of the Soldier requesting an accommodation. The interviewing chaplain will provide a memorandum stating that the interview occurred and address the religious basis and sincerity of the religious belief. The chaplain may recommend approval or disapproval but is not required to do so. Chaplains will use the Religious Basis Tool (RBT) and Sincerity Tool (ST) to assist with assessing sincerity and the religious basis for a request.”
Understand this before you talk: the chaplain must warn you that the conversation is not privileged because a detailed report becomes part of your application, and if you already have a counseling relationship with a chaplain a different one has to conduct the interview.
“b. Before interviewing applicants, the chaplain will advise the applicant that any communication be tween the applicant and chaplain will not be privileged because a detailed report of the interview will become a part of the application for consideration in the adjudication process. Thus, if the applicant has established a relationship of confidentiality (counseling) with a chaplain, a different chaplain will conduct the interview. This provision does not prevent an applicant from soliciting a letter to s upport the claim from anyone the applicant chooses.”
The report is not a formality — it gives an opinion on whether your belief is religious or secular in nature, on your sincerity, and on your demeanor and lifestyle as they bear on the claim.
“c. The interviewing chaplain will submit a detailed report of the interview to the commander. This report will include comments on the following: (1) nature and basis of the applicant’s claim (2) opinion on the source of the applicant’s religious belief , including whether the belief is religious or secular in nature (3) opinion as to the sincerity of the applicant’s belief (4) appropriate comments on the applicant’s demeanor and lifestyle as they bear on the claim (5) specific reasons for the chaplain’s conclusions (For example, i f the interviewing chaplain feels the applicant is insincere in belief or that the applicant’s lifestyle is incongruent with the claim, the chaplain should include statements to this effect in th e report. )”
A disapproval must come as a written decision memo explaining operational risks, citing relevant studies or standards and analyzing why alternatives were insufficient — and if an existing accommodation is rescinded on review you have 24 hours from notification to meet the standard.
“SUBJECT: Army Directive 202 6-09 (Grooming Standards and Religious Accommodation) 6 RA is rescind ed after review , Soldiers will be required to comport to uniform , grooming , and appearance standards within 24 hours of their notification . Disapproval of sincerely held religious beliefs require s a written decision memo that must include a clear explanation of operational risks and concerns, citations to relevant studies or standards, analysis of alternatives and why they were deemed insufficient, and an explanation of how the decision is no less restrictive than exemptions based on non- religious reasons ( for example, medical). (7) Separation. Absent an approved RA, temporary medical profile, or modification of grooming standards based on validated mission- essential requirements, non -compliance with uniform, grooming, and appearance standards may result in initiation of”… (paragraph continues in the PDF)
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Updated 2026-08-03. CheckMyRegs is an unofficial index — always cite the official publication.