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The Army acknowledged in announcing the latest update that repeatedly pulling hair into a tight bun could lead to hair loss. For years, many women in the Army were required to keep their hair in a tight bun. Lt. Gen. Gary Brito, the Army’s deputy chief of staff for personnel issues, said the changes will better reflect the cultural and gender demographics within the service. One of the panel members was a female officer who graduated Ranger School.
Army Women Are Being Harangued Over Hair as Superiors Ignore New Rules - Military.com
Army Women Are Being Harangued Over Hair as Superiors Ignore New Rules.
Posted: Thu, 30 Sep 2021 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Religious garments (hijabs, turbans, kippot)
The Army determined that women attending Ranger, Special Forces, or Sapper training desired short hair while training in austere training environments. Examples of prohibited hairstyles under this definition would include Mohawks, Horseshoes, or “Landing Strips” (see below). Male hairstyles may cut a part into the hairstyle in circumstances where the texture of the hair does not part naturally.
Army High and Tight
Some of the incoming changes will be reflected in a revised version of Army Regulation that will be issued in February. Other changes will not be included in the revised regulation, but will be disseminated through memorandums and official guidance in the coming month. “Some people don’t like change but that’s just how the world is,” said Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston during a call with reporters. I’m not going to go into who voted and who said what, but this panel represented our force from all walks of life, and we brought in experts,” like dermatologists and psychologists. AR670-1 regulation allows soldiers to wear certain accessories, such as sunglasses, gloves, and scarves, but they must be conservative and not interfere with performing duties.
Revised Army regulation and grooming standards support diversity, equity and inclusion and people first priority
Most of the changes are designed with practicality in mind, Sanders noted. Wearing a long pony tail rather than a bun, for instance, will help women in the field with helmets. Those changes, and more, are slated to come into effect Feb. 26, Army officials said Tuesday, giving the service time to create imagery and memorandums to help solders and command teams understand the new guidelines. After speaking with Marine and Coast Guard women, she was advised to create a strong visual presentation.
Notably, the new grooming standards allow for female Soldiers to wear earrings with their Army Combat Uniform, and also include the approval to wear additional colors of lipstick previously not authorized. Further, female Soldiers will be allowed to wear multiple different types of hairstyles under the new standards (so long as said hairstyles maintain a professional appearance and do not impede the use of headgear or other equipment). Additionally, male Soldiers will be allowed to wear clear nail polish. Other changes include the erasure of the minimum hair length requirement for all Soldiers. Soon, all soldiers will also be able to dye their hair any natural color, and female soldiers can wear lipstick and nail polish in approved colors.
"These [changes] aren't about male or female, this is about an Army standard and how we move forward with the Army and being a more diverse and inclusive team," said Grinston during the online town hall. For example, braids or fashionable styles must conform to all hair and appearance standards. However, males are permitted to tint, bleach, or highlight their hair as long as it results in a natural appearance.
Nails
Soldiers will also be allowed to have a uniform hair color blend (also known as highlights) as long as it presents a natural appearance. However, purple, blue, pink, green, orange, bright red, fluorescent or neon colors, and some others will be prohibited. Dermatologists involved in the review process provided critical input tied to the updated ponytail policy, Sanders said. The authorized wear of a medium-length ponytail could lower an individual’s risk of hair loss, reduce scarring, or decrease the likelihood of migraine headaches caused by repeatedly pulling hair into a tight bun.
The exception is when used to cover natural baldness or physical dis-figuration caused by a medical procedure or accident. Tightly maintained and regulated Army grooming standards have been put in place by the U.S. In addition to an update in hair regulations, The Army is introducing a wide range of changes to the uniform and grooming regulations. “In an effort to stop hair damage and loss stemming from hairstyles like the bun, the Army approved healthier hairstyle options that are more inclusive of various natural styles,” said Clark. Mady Segal, a military sociologist and professor emerita at University of Maryland, College Park, said it's an "excellent step forward," but worries that many of these guidelines are specific to women and not inclusive to male soldiers. Army senior leaders approved several upcoming grooming and appearance modifications, said Sgt. Maj. Brian Sanders, senior enlisted leader of Army G-1’s uniform policy branch.
For starters, the Army released a graphic that demonstrates the policy with specific details. Hair-holding devices are allowed only for the purpose of securing the hair for longer lengths. It’s defined as a hair length that extends beyond the lower edge of the collar. The hairstyle is not considered acceptable if when combed it falls over the ears or eyebrows, or touches the collar. Retirees can wear only APFUs combined with civilian clothes outside of Army installations. AR does not apply to chiefs of staff, who can decide their own uniforms.
By serving part-time, you are able to continue your college education or work a civilian job, while earning an extra paycheck and maintaining many of the benefits of military service. “Allowing this modification will alleviate some strain to the scalp caused by mandatory bun for medium and long hair,” the slides say. This hairstyle must be maintained to ensure the hair does not exceed maximum length regulations. This is one of the most common military haircuts that involves shaving all the hair to a short length, typically 1/4 inch or shorter, creating a uniform appearance across the head.
Her inclusion helped create the new rule authorizing buzz cuts for women. Soldiers are required to maintain good personal hygiene and grooming on a daily basis, as well as wear the uniform in a way that does not detract from the overall military appearance. Army mustache regulation is tightly enforced as soldiers are expected to otherwise keep their face clean-shaved when in uniform. However, wigs are not allowed if it is simply used to “cover up unauthorized hairstyles”. It must be styled so it never interferes with the proper use of all military-assigned headgear.
Revised hair and grooming regulations will likely be welcomed by female soldiers who’ve long dealt with stringent requirements, such as tight hair buns that can damage their scalps. But service leaders aren’t ignorant to the reality that the changes will likely be derided by others as “politically correct” maneuvering by the Army. The updated standard will also allow females with long hair the option to wear a ponytail while wearing an Army Combat Uniform during physical training, or while wearing tactical headgear during tactical training or combat operations. The Army defines long hair as a length that extends beyond the collar.
According to the updated policy, extreme colors and nail shapes, such as a coffin, ballerina, and stiletto nails, are prohibited while in uniform or on duty in civilian clothes. By eliminating some of the restrictions, Soldiers will now have more flexibility, all while keeping it within the confines of professionalism, Mitchell said. Further, having a choice to wear multiple hairstyles will allow female Soldiers more ways to secure their hair so that it can fit appropriately under their headgear. The changes are the work of a 17-soldier panel established to promote diversity and inclusion, according to the service. Suggestions were proposed by troops and voted on by panel members, who came from commands across the force.
Maj. Faren Aimee Campbell, who works in Army logistics in Silver Spring, Md., experienced hair loss and damage from keeping her hair in a bun. Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. Air Force Special Tactics and deployed in 2014 to Paktika Province, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq.
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