FFS, this is so fucking stupid. Know what else the uniform regs say now? They say that retired personnel can wear the uniform on appropriate occasions while still wearing a neatly-trimmed beard of less than two inches bulk. Because they know that the PR value of retirees doing funeral honors and showing up in uniform for other dignified occasions is worth more than some uptight Master Chief's grooming standards bullshit.
If active-duty personnel are not in imminent need of wearing an O2 mask or CBRN equipment that would be inhibited by the wearing of a neatly-trimmed beard of less than two inches bulk (which we can delegate to their CO to determine), and if literally every other English-speaking navy does not have a problem with this, then why are we even dithering over some stupid BUMED- and Chief's Mess-inspired instruction? Why are we not just letting people wear neatly-trimmed beards, regardless of whether they're black, white, brown, yellow, or pink with purple polka-dots? Are two inches of neatly-trimmed and inspected facial hair going to ruin the force's readiness? If you say "yes," I say bullshit.