Airmen honor Robin Olds, grow mustaches

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman David Owsianka
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Throughout the base a growing number of Airmen have been looking a bit different over the past month. It's not a fashionable trend, but rather something that some would view as manly or creepy.

Airmen on Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, have grown their mustaches to participate in the hairy tradition of Mustache March.

"This is a great opportunity to build camaraderie with my fellow Airmen," said Maj. Laurence Studer, 51st Medical Operations Squadron mental health flight commander. "It's important to participate in this 'hairitage' in memory of Robin Olds while strengthening morale and making people laugh."

Mustache March is an annual event occurring in the month of March, where men in the United States Air Force grow mustaches to honor the Air Force legend Robin Olds. The idea stems from an early Air Force tradition in which Airmen would grow mustaches in good-natured protest against facial hair regulations during the month of March.

The act of growing a mustache as a gesture of defiance against dogmatic leadership is attributed to the U.S. Air Force triple-ace Robin olds who grew an extravagantly waxed handlebar mustache which did not comply with the Air Force regulations.

One such Airman grew his mustache as a way to pay tribute to Robin Olds, who used something insignificant as a mustache to promote camaraderie during wartime contingencies.

"When I first heard about this month I researched for the true meaning of Mustache March," said Senior Airman David Letteer, 51st Aerospace Medicine Squadron nutritional medicine technician. "Olds was a triple ace with 16 victories during his service, and he loved doing his duty to the best of his ability. Him growing a mustache showed a different side of his character from a personal level."

Letteer has had a unique way of shaping his 'stache' after starting with the regulations.

"When I shape my stache, I start by checking the corners of his mouth to see if it reaches there," he explained. "If so, I open my mouth wide as if I am yawning to trim it down and make it evenly proportioned."

From there, Letteer ensures his mustache isn't too bulky. He places a guard on his clippers and trims the length of the hairs. After that he takes the edge of his razor and carefully trims the curve of the mustache.

"This part is the most important because it will look lopsided if you do it wrong," he said. "Lastly, I brush the mustache because sometimes the hairs stick up, just like the hair on your head. If you constantly brush it down, it will look a lot better and less irritating."

As Airmen from across the base have grown mustaches, the morale within the work environment has elevated.

"This month is a good time for Airmen who want to grow a mustache to have an excuse to grow it and have fun," said Capt. Sean Westrick, 25th Fighter Squadron executive officer. "Everyone makes fun of each other's mustache and those who are unable to successfully grow one."

Even though Westrick has helped carry the hairy tradition of growing a mustache since 2010, his stache has become somewhat bothersome for him completing his job.

"It has been frustrating to have while flying because it gets in the way of the mask I wear," he said.

It hasn't just been frustrating in the cockpit for Westrick; he has dealt with a bit of a battle on the home front.

"My wife doesn't like my mustache," he said. "She always dreads March and enjoys April 1. She always says 'aw mustache march, the creepiest month of the year."

Even though some may deem March as a creepy, unbearable month, it has proven to be a time where Airmen can remember where they came from.

"I feel a lot of times these days we lose sight of our history and where we come from and tradition," Westrick said. "This is something small thing to do and a way to remember part of our past."