Army shuns Diggers sacked in bizarre beard ban
The Australian Defence Force is refusing to rehire Diggers sacked during its beard-free policy period after the bizarre ban was relaxed on medical as well as religious grounds.
Townsville
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THE Australian Defence Force has back flipped on a controversial policy which saw soldiers kicked out of the Army for having a beard.
The policy reversal comes just two years since it was introduced, however anyone discharged during its enforcement won’t be eligable to re-enlist.
The Townsville Bulletin revealed in May the battle of two long-serving soldiers fighting to save their careers which were put at risk over their facial hair, despite holding long-term medical waivers.
The Defence Force has since relaxed it’s strictly no beard policy to once again allow exception to personnel with a medical condition as diagnosed by clinicians.
Soldiers with certain religious beliefs are also exempt from the army-wide rule, as well as Pioneer Sergeants posted to the Townsville-based 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.
Since the Bulletin’s inquiries one of those soldiers has been allowed to remain in the Defence Force while the other chose to leave as a result of personal stress caused by the ordeal.
Another former soldier, who the Townsville Bulletin has chosen not to name, was medically discharged under the policy late last year and said it left him feeling ‘completely disposable’ after nearly seven years of dedicated service.
“Until the policy came out it was fine and Defence had even been treating for it and it had never been an issue in the past so it was a big shock,” the army Private said.
“No one sat me down and said these are your options you can shave or be kicked out of the army.
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“It’s a form of medical discrimination especially when they’ve now revised the clause. If you have a religious reason you’re allowed to stay in without question.”
A Department of Defence official said the policy review was completed by the Chief of Army Lieutenant General Rick Burr in July however Army members separated under the previous policy will not be re-enlisted.
The Federal Member for Herbert and army veteran Phillip Thompson said the policy reversal stopped short of being satisfactory.
“I understand this is an internal Defence ruling and matter but as a former soldier this just simply isn’t fair,” he said.
“People discharged under this policy I think should be allowed to re-enlist, they had a medical certificate for whatever reason and were discharged on that, yet Defence has now reversed it.
“It’s not just huge amounts of skill set and knowledge that is lost but I also look at it as a human impact where you’re punishing someone for a medical reason when it doesn’t affect performance whatsoever.”
The review was sparked after the head of army’s medical review board raised concerns about the number of soldiers affected by the crackdown in an internal email, seen by the Bulletin.
The Department of Defence refused to release figures on how many soldiers have been caught up in the controversy since the policy introduction.
Originally published as Army shuns Diggers sacked in bizarre beard ban