Tell me about the origin of the "operator neckbeard." - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Tell me about the origin of the "operator neckbeard."

Posted: 6/2/2019 11:38:38 AM EDT

All the inkie hard chargers have a 9" long, ZZ Top-esque neckbeard. They all hold their ARs with a C-Clamp, and are constantly flicking the damn thing 45 degrees to fling out the empty mags.

Is the origin of this firearms cultural phenomenon the Global War on Terror and the fact that Specwarriors had to "beard up" in order to be taken seriously by their muzzie hosts?

Posted: 6/2/2019 11:39:33 AM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
All the inkie hard chargers have a 9" long, ZZ Top-esque neckbeard. They all hold their ARs with a C-Clamp, and are constantly flicking the damn thing 45 degrees to fling out the empty mags.

Is the origin of this firearms cultural phenomenon the Global War on Terror and the fact that Specwarriors had to "beard up" in order to be taken seriously by their muzzie hosts?

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I believe so.

Posted: 6/2/2019 1:18:29 PM EDT

[#2]

Those aren't neckbeards.

Posted: 6/2/2019 1:25:26 PM EDT

[#3]

I can assure you with lethal certainty that our Afghan and Iraqi hosts looked at my SOF operators as bad mother fuckers with or without beards.

As for me, I shaved my beard off every time I was tasked briefed O6 or above. Beards are itchy, prone to retain dirt, and get tangled into the duct tape on the Mk12’s stock.

The war scarf was a much more enjoyable bit of kit than relaxed grooming standards.

18Z50.....yes, I was the asshole that told you to shave before getting your DA photo!

Posted: 6/2/2019 1:32:44 PM EDT

[#4]

They make pregnant Hooters waitresses cry.

Posted: 6/2/2019 1:37:52 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
All the inkie hard chargers have a 9" long, ZZ Top-esque neckbeard.

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That's not a neckbeard.

Envision a guy so fat, or sloppily built that he doesn't appear to have a chin. Then he grows facial hair and grooms it in such a manner as to attempt to define the usual shape of a man's face.

That's a neckbeard.

Posted: 6/2/2019 1:40:11 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
All the inkie hard chargers have a 9" long, ZZ Top-esque neckbeard. They all hold their ARs with a C-Clamp, and are constantly flicking the damn thing 45 degrees to fling out the empty mags.

Is the origin of this firearms cultural phenomenon the Global War on Terror and the fact that Specwarriors had to "beard up" in order to be taken seriously by their muzzie hosts?

View Quote

Yeah basically. More so from OEF than OIF. SOF that I worked with have said they would "gain more respect" from the Afghans all bearded-out.

Didn't really apply in Iraq and it's basically not as common for Iraqi men to wear long, thick beards. Mustaches, yes.

When I was last over there 2 years ago, Iraqi locals said that only ISIS wore beards...all SOF I worked with and CTS that I engaged with were clean shaven or mustache.

Posted: 6/2/2019 2:16:43 PM EDT

[#7]

Attached File

Posted: 6/2/2019 2:18:53 PM EDT

[#8]

The above is accurate for mil.

For contractors we just get lazy in theater and quit shaving

Posted: 6/2/2019 2:38:26 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:

That's not a neckbeard.

Envision a guy so fat, or sloppily built that he doesn't appear to have a chin. Then he grows facial hair and grooms it in such a manner as to attempt to define the usual shape of a man's face.

That's a neckbeard.

View Quote

You are talking about the fake jawline. Not a neck beard. Neck beards do zero grooming of their face. This their beard grows down on their neck. It has nothing to do with reselling ammo either.

Posted: 6/2/2019 2:39:28 PM EDT

[#10]

Attached File

Has to be this, first became popular in... 2005?

Posted: 6/2/2019 2:44:00 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/258165/1512759766572-GettyImages-1373484_jpeg-966628.JPG

Has to be this, first became popular in... 2005?

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yup. this is the picture.

Posted: 6/2/2019 3:27:30 PM EDT

[#12]

The True Origin Of Neckbeard.

Attached File

Posted: 6/2/2019 3:38:34 PM EDT

[#13]

The longer and wilder the beard the more wise a man is seen in those cultures, plus it makes it a lot easier to blend in with the locals.

Posted: 6/2/2019 3:39:54 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
They make pregnant Hooters waitresses cry.

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That was a great thread.

Posted: 6/2/2019 3:43:59 PM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:

They make pregnant Hooters waitresses cry.

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Hey, just like a lap dance is always better when the striper is crying, wings are always better with huge tits, swollen feet and bitchy attitudes.

Amiright ?

Posted: 6/2/2019 3:57:11 PM EDT

[#16]

I always envisioned all of the really old guys who never shave their neck standing in line at every WalMart in town waiting on the delivery truck to unload so they can buy 2- 50 rd boxes of .22 LR. After purchasing enough they would purchase a table at a local gunshow and mark up said ammo 250 %.

Posted: 6/2/2019 3:58:59 PM EDT

[#17]

Is op 12?

Posted: 6/2/2019 4:02:39 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:

They make pregnant Hooters waitresses cry.

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Posted: 6/2/2019 5:32:58 PM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:
The longer and wilder the beard the more wise a man is seen in those cultures, plus it makes it a lot easier to blend in with the locals.

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Yeah, a 6' 2", 230 lb white guy will blend in with Afghans in their villages because he has a beard. Without a beard they would see right through his clever disguise.

And the conventional forces guys have no need to wear beards, because they're not dealing with the locals at KLEs all day, and working actual projects. They're doing raids at night in full gear, and other fun stuff like that. (Oh wait, was that the other way around?)

I'm just kidding... if I was able to get away with having a beard by making up excuses like that, I would do it in a second.

Posted: 6/2/2019 5:39:31 PM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/258165/1512759766572-GettyImages-1373484_jpeg-966628.JPG

Has to be this, first became popular in... 2005?

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That photo was taken in 2002.

Posted: 6/2/2019 5:43:11 PM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:
Hey, just like a lap dance is always better when the striper is crying, wings are always better with huge tits, swollen feet and bitchy attitudes.

Amiright ?

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:

They make pregnant Hooters waitresses cry.

Hey, just like a lap dance is always better when the striper is crying, wings are always better with huge tits, swollen feet and bitchy attitudes.

Amiright ?

And they just look at you funny when you tell them: "I want to run my tongue across your c-section scar"

Posted: 6/2/2019 5:49:37 PM EDT

[#22]

The bearded operator goes back to the Long Range Desert Group, SAS and First Special Service Force types of WWII...

The contemporary bearded operator probably comes from the spec ops advisors in the Soviet Afghanistan war of the 1980’s.

Posted: 6/2/2019 5:51:24 PM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:
Those aren't neckbeards.

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Posted: 6/2/2019 5:54:58 PM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/258165/1512759766572-GettyImages-1373484_jpeg-966628.JPG

Has to be this, first became popular in... 2005?

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Yeah, that dude.

Posted: 6/2/2019 5:56:07 PM EDT

[#25]

Attached File

Posted: 6/2/2019 5:59:17 PM EDT

[#26]

Neckbeard is another one of those terms used in GD that no longer means anything. (Think "hipster.")

Posted: 6/2/2019 6:03:08 PM EDT

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:
https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/112468/3CB6E8C0-FDD3-454B-BF98-46E86C8CD3BE_jpeg-966828.JPG

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Well, technically, he's a fag, so, it doesn't matter.

Posted: 6/2/2019 6:06:42 PM EDT

[#28]

If you're trying to blend in.

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If you're going a viking.

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Posted: 6/2/2019 6:18:55 PM EDT

[#29]

Posted: 6/2/2019 6:27:26 PM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:
Well, technically, he's a fag, so, it doesn't matter.

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Facial hair of choice in VN was actually the “handlebar” mustache no shit. At some point there was a sergeant major crack down and they trimmed them.
Beard not common in USSF until post 9/11 Afghanistan invasion - Horse Soldiers. Much less common in Iraq.
True comment regarding SAS facial hair.
In general it’s a rapport building measure with the indig.

Posted: 6/2/2019 6:28:56 PM EDT

[#31]

Posted: 6/2/2019 6:44:01 PM EDT

[#32]

I was at a MG Line Shoot yesterday and there were former military guys there sporting beards and tats, but unless you knew the guy you could not tell them from the hipsters.

Blows my mind how many men are sporting beards and tats, entire sleeves.

I shaved my beard before going and as I have no tats so I looked normal.

Oh, Aimless was a no show.

Posted: 6/5/2019 9:15:09 AM EDT

[#33]

Article today to answer your Q:

https://www.insidehook.com/daily_brief/style/how-the-war-on-terror-made-beards-popular-again

American pop culture from old John Ford westerns, movies about the world wars all the way to September 11 dramas featured many a beardless man as its heroes while “facial hair was generally reserved for wild enemies foreign and domestic,” according to The New Republic. This changed when Hollywood started to take on the War on Terror and all facets of American life moved into the 21st Century.

“Hipsters affect the lumberjack’s hirsute machismo. Genteel movie stars like George Clooney and Paul Rudd tantalize paparazzi with full, bushy beards,” Adrian Bonenberger and Adam Weinstein at The New Republic reflected. “Police departments in Michigan and Texas have relaxed their officers’ notoriously strict grooming standards to permit beards and goatees. Faux-folksy politicians like Texas Senator Ted Cruz and former House speaker Paul Ryan attempt to transform their brands with a macho hairy mug—just as John Kerry and Al Gore did a few years earlier, with limited success.

“Our Hollywood war heroes, armed men who go bump in the night, grow facial hair so voluminous that perhaps their beards are what do the heavy bumping,” the magazine continued. “Even that most American of fictional G.I.s, the idealistic Steve Rogers, returns from a depressive self-exile in Avengers: Infinity War with a sexy beard that says ‘Captain America has seen some shit.'”

And the trend isn’t exclusive on the more famous faces as the razor industry recorded a five percent decline in sales last year.

According to the article, the War on Terror is responsible for this paradigm shift thanks to “the reluctance of military leaders to impose discipline on the most professional of the units that participated in” the war — “special operations forces.” The evidence for this claim, according to the mag, is apparent in the vast “proliferation of beards in the military, which now extends to civilian society. We worship the post-9/11 military operator. We are a nation drunk on ‘tacticool’ culture.”

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