It's been wielded as a weapon of intimidation in conflicts throughout history. More recently, it's been subject to an outright ban by the top brass. But the beard -- only in its most neatly trimmed form, mind you -- is enjoying a groundswell of support at the grass-roots/stubble level in militaries around the world, including in the U.S., where a historic recruiting shortfall has left Pentagon leaders scrambling to find new ways to fill the ranks.
