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Military Wants Special Ops Troops to Shave

Aired September 12, 2002 - 14:11   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: According to the "New York Times," images like this one of a bearded special operations soldier in Afghanistan are generating clipped comments in Washington. Special ops troops like the ones who protected Afghan president Hamid Karzai during a recent assassination attempt, say adopting local dress and growing beards helps them blend in.
But the practice has hit a sour note with Pentagon brass. They're reportedly ordering the troops to shave. Former Brigadier General David Grange joins us from Chicago now to talk about the reported dressing down special ops is getting -- general, good to see you.

GEN. DAVID GRANGE, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: How you doing?

PHILLIPS: All right. Even you are taking issue with this. What do you think?

GRANGE: Well, you know, this is nothing new. To relax grooming standards or wear local indigenous dress in a certain area is sometimes advantageous, especially when you are operating in area and someone can observe you from a distance. It may give you an advantage for a few seconds, or a minute until you can either escape, hide, get in position to fire, whatever the case may be. It was done in Iraq, it was done in the beginning of this war in Afghanistan, with the Northern Alliance. But there is times when it is inappropriate.

PHILLIPS: Well, is this inappropriate, what they are doing? We have seen the pictures in the "New York Times," we have even aired the pictures with regard to the assassination attempt against Hamid Karzai. We are looking at some of the pictures right now. What do you think? Is this a proper time or not?

GRANGE: Well, it depends. Now, let me try to clarify it a little bit. When you are protecting a principal, an official like President Karzai, there is going to be some uniforms or apparel worn that is going to be a little different from conventional soldiers, because of the type of stuff they have to carry, and I won't get into that.

However, for instance on beards, or headdress, or things like that, if you look at the pictures, it is quite obvious they are not Afghan people. It is pretty hard to hide as an American in this environment up close. So, when you are working close in in Kabul and Kandahar and places like that, you are not really fooling anybody, and so what I would think would happen, it would have the reverse effect. In other words, you would look like a special operating soldier, and you may be targeted more so than a conventional solder. So as a protection issue, that may have a reverse effect on you. So, in fact, in that case, you would want to look more conventional.

PHILLIPS: Well, in Afghanistan too, beards are a sign of manly maturity, it is very well respected. It is a sign that you are a wise person, so you would think this would be a good way to blend in, and gain respect from others in the region.

GRANGE: Well, I think when you have some of the soldiers operating out -- out in the remoter areas and villages and that, I can see where it could work with some of the people, that might be done.

But what happens here is, I don't think the Afghan people think any less than the toughness of the soldiers in 82nd Airborne Division that are in Baron (ph) Airfield, so -- I mean, this is an American outfit. It is not an Afghanistan military outfit, so I don't think we need to worry about that.

PHILLIPS: So this doesn't blur the line of credibility? Do you think it blurs the line of credibility?

GRANGE: Not at all, not at all. And I think if there is any morale issue, it is just that it is a change. People are used to wearing certain things, some take it to extremes. The picture you are showing right now, that is a bit of an extreme, I mean -- there is no reason to dress that way. So the morale is just temporary, and SOF actually takes pride at being able to adapt to the situation. When it is appropriate, you do it. When it is not appropriate, you should be able to do 180 degree, and blend in conventionally. So it is not a big deal.

PHILLIPS: Do the soldiers worry about looking like an occupying army?

GRANGE: Well, the occupying army thing really depends more on what you look like than your actions. If the way you treat people, the way -- what the purpose of our being there, makes you look like an occupying people, not the professional look of an army. So, no.

PHILLIPS: You know I have -- general, you know I have to ask you this. You are a former special ops soldier. Did you wear a beard or not?

GRANGE: No.

PHILLIPS: And remained extremely handsome. General David Grange. Thank you very much.

GRANGE: I don't know about that.

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