When in Doubt: Mustaches

[pbi]

I have heard this story a number of times over the years, usually from Canadians who have served alongside US forces.  When I have heard it, it not only referred to mustache-phobia but also to the practice of officers having their photo taken lying on their backs on the floor so that any bulging over the belt is controlled by gravity.

While I tend to believe the first bit about moustaches (very rare to see a US officer with one), I think the second part is probably nonsense. First, how would you even take a photo like that? Second, I don't really think it would be necessary anyway: overweightness appears to be extremely rare amongst active duty US officers.

To be fair, they are competing against huge selection lists (thousands of officers in any given MOS) under a system that AFAIK still permits your file to appear only twice for selection to a given rank: if you don't get picked up after two "looks", you are released. This may have been suspended due to the severe personnel problems of the last few years, but I know that it was definitely in effect for US Army active-duty officers.

 

[Transporter]

To be fair, they are competing against huge selection lists (thousands of officers in any given MOS) under a system that AFAIK still permits your file to appear only twice for selection to a given rank: if you don't get picked up after two "looks", you are released. This may have been suspended due to the severe personnel problems of the last few years, but I know that it was definitely in effect for US Army active-duty officers.

The up-or-out policy is still in force. However, for a while there (height of Afg and Iraq) it wasn't uncommon for Army officers to be getting picked-up below the zone i.e. promoted before what would normally be their first year of eligibility, or first look. I believe that practice has tapered-off considerably nowadays.

 

[Edward Campbell]

...

To be fair, they are competing against huge selection lists (thousands of officers in any given MOS) under a system that AFAIK still permits your file to appear only twice for selection to a given rank: if you don't get picked up after two "looks", you are released. This may have been suspended due to the severe personnel problems of the last few years, but I know that it was definitely in effect for US Army active-duty officers.

ff topic: but very, very slightly related.

There is an old (1920s/30s) Navy story which might be true ...

Officers serving away from the major fleets, e.g. in the China Squadron or, even more remote, with a Reserve Division, were often seen to be disadvantaged when the promotion boards sat. So a system was introduced allowing officers to send a letter, each year, to the high mucky-mucks telling them what wonderful things they had done to "add something more to this wonderful year." This didn't seem to do a whole lot of good, most promotions still went to officers who were within the eyesight and earshot of selected captains and commodores, so one officer put pen to paper and said:

        "Every year, when the promotion list is circulated, it is said, by all, about one fortunate fellow on that list: 'How in hell did he get here!?!' I would not object to being that officer."

 

[reccecrewman]

I recently read a[n unverifiable] statement that Sir Arthur Currie was the only general officer in the British armies on the western front without a moustache.

That may have something to do with the fact that Command No. 1,695 of The King's Regulation's reads:

The hair of the head will be kept short. The chin and the under lip will be shaved, but not the upper lip. Whiskers if worn will be of moderate length.

This was a policy very much adhered to in the British Army from the mid 19th century onward, however, by mid WWI, it was kind of let go. Maybe Currie was the lead trendsetter amongst GO's!