Two Military Veterans are Finalists in National Beard Contest, $20,000 at Stake for Charity

Published Sep 13, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT

BJ Ganem, a Marine Corps veteran, and Damon Friedman, a retired special warfare officer, are among five finalists in the competition.

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Published Sep 13, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT

Two veterans are among five finalists in a national beard contest, with the chance to win $20,000 for their chosen charity. 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 two of the five finalists competing to win $5,000 for themselves and $20,000 for their charities. Wahl, a company that manufactures hair clippers, trimmers and other grooming tools, is running the contest. They asked bearded men from across the country to submit a video of themselves explaining how they support a charity. After the company narrowed the contestants down to five, the remaining contestants now face a public vote conducted through Walh's website and currently taking place through Sept. 18. Overall, charitable organizations serving U.S. military members, veterans, and their families raise approximately $3.7 billion annually in charitable contributions.