For years, the US military required members to have clean-shaven faces as a condition of service. However, medical and military sources generally concur that the only reliable treatment for PFB is not shaving. Hegseth’s new policy practically guarantees an unfathomable wave of terminations, with Black service members likely to face the brunt. For years, Black troops fought for policies that allowed them to thrive in the service—including around grooming. With more than 200,000 Black active-duty members serving in the military—historically one of the country’s few avenues of social mobility for the Black community—Hegseth grooming policy will no doubt have a devastating impact.