Two veterans are among five finalists in a Wahl-sponsored beard contest in which the winner receives $5,000 for themselves and $20,000 for a charity of their choice, according to Military.com.
BJ Ganem, a Marine Corps veteran from Wisconsin who served in Iraq, and Damon Friedman, a retired special warfare officer who served 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force, are competing in the contest. Wahl provided the details of the prize structure and the finalist roster.
The contest, reported by Military.com on Sep. 13, 2026, includes the two veterans among five finalists competing to win $5,000 for themselves and $20,000 for their charities.
Ganem and Friedman’s military backgrounds differ: Ganem is a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War, while Friedman retired after two decades split between the Marine Corps and the Air Force as a special warfare officer.
Voting details and the contest’s closing date were not specified in the source material. The finalists were announced as part of Wahl’s promotional competition, with the winner to be determined through the contest’s voting process.
Sources: Military.com · Military.com · Defence Blog · The Aviationist