(The Hill) - U.S. troops with facial hair were barred from attending an upcoming event with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in South Korea this week, according to reports.

An email purportedly from the 51st Fighter Wing at Osan Air Base in South Korea — posted to an unofficial Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page — advised troops that “members with shaving waivers are NOT authorized to attend” the troop engagement with the Defense secretary.

The email asked various groups to select representatives to attend the engagement.

An Air Force official confirmed the authenticity of the email to Task & Purpose, a news outlet focused on military reporting.

“As you know, it is typical for senior leaders to visit the troops when they travel to installations around the world,” the official told the

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