AR 670-1: What is your reaction to the newest changes?

Reminds me of the Marine regs when I was in.

No commercially pressed ACUs? First of all, many units require their troops to starch their ACUs which are not supposed to be starched. The starch clogs their pores which the pores allow the troops to perspire and/or ventilate easier. New off duty & especially off post appearance standards? What necessary improvements are these going to bring or are they simply powertrips? Some of these new standards make me that much more grateful that I no longer serve in our over polished dog & pony show military. I'm nobody's pet! BUT, I still support our troops! CHRIST BLESS OUR MILITARY ALWAYS!

Great read so far can't wait to read the all changes.

I think the must be clean shaven rule during leave is a bit much. Xmas and growing a beard was something I looked forward to every year. I could understand on base and off duty. 

double posted....

2. New revision of the regulation will define the following terms: eccentric, faddish,conservative, inconspicuous, unsightly, hair braids/plaits....
- Good, because faddish is speculative to where you are from, where you live and how old you are.

3. AR 670-1 will be a PUNITIVE order in the new regulation.
- Ok

4. Sideburns will not extend below the top of the ear.
-Not everyone looks good bald or with a tiny strip of hair. I am told my many civilians that it looks like many male soldiers put a feminine pad on their head and shaved around it.

5. Soldiers will be clean shaven on AND off duty (even during leave).
-REALLY??? If I do not let my face go unshaven once in a while it will break out and my skin will start cracking. Are we supposed to look like warriors or daycare teachers? Who is going to punish me for not shaving on my family vacation to Disney world? Who is going to punish me for not shaving on Saturday when I am at Wal-Mart. This is ludicrous.

6. Female and Male hair grooming standards will become more restrictive and better defined(I'll have pictures for you at MHS).
- Sounds fun

7. Females will be allowed to put their hair into a pony tail during PT.
-Good

8. Males will be prohibited from wearing cosmetics to include nail polish, females may wear cosmetics conservatively, but can only wear nail polish in service, mess, or dress uniforms.
-Ok

9. Females fingernail length will not exceed 1/4 inch, no fake nails, add-ons, or extensions will be authorized.
- Sure
10. Tattoos will not be visible above the neck line when the IPFU is worn. Tattoos will not extend below the wrist line and not on the hands. Sleeve tattoos will be prohibited (this one will be grandfathered).
-Good luck with this. Tattoos are a military tradition since before the Spartan days. once again warrior or daycare teacher.

11. Soldiers will not walk while engaged in activities that require the hand salute (eating, cell phone use, smoking, etc.).
-Isn't that already a standard?

12. ACUs will not be commercially pressed; hand ironing of the ACU only will be authorized.
-ok


13. Bags worn over the shoulder will only be black or the color print of the uniform i.e. ACU, without logos.
- wow....ok I guess. I have a grey laptop bag. Guess I have to fork out more money for Uncle Sam?

14. the new regulation will specify civilian clothes standards both on and off duty and both on and off post.
- Wow... Are you going to buy my clothes for me too? How about you just move some guy INTO my house to tell me how to breathe at this point.

15. No visible body piercings on or off duty and on or off post, males will never be allowed to wear earrings. Ear gauging will be unauthorized.
- Ok. Sucks for the guys with earrings but it is livable.

16. No dental ornamentation or gold teeth will be authorized.
-Tell that to the 54 year old MSG I had in my last unit.

17. Soldiers will be authorized to wear authorized ballistic eye wear in garrison.
- I agree

18. Officers will be authorized to wear non-subdued rank on their headgear in garrison.
-Good

19. Males will be authorized to carry black umbrella with ASU.
- ok...I never knew this was an issue.

If you can tell I am a satirical/sarcastic type writer and mean no disrespect ot those above me. Down the road my generation and those after me will be in charge and the silly dog and pony shows will HOPEFULLY go away. We are WARRIORS not daycare teachers. Look at the pictures (or paintings) of Soldiers from the beginning of the US to now. Each generation basically looks like what the leader’s generation of professionalism is. The standards will change every 20 years but some of these are just silly. What is SO unprofessional about not shaving on Saturday? What is SO bad about sideburns?
Yes if a Soldier looks SLOPPY they automatically lose report. But if they have a sleeve tattoo and sideburns I do not blink twice. I weigh their worth as a Soldier on how they live the army values and apply the NCO Creed (if they are an NCO) to their daily duties and life.

This sounds EXACTLY like the Army I joined in 1998 and served in until 2003 when the wars started. We need to realize that the "changes" being made to AR 670-1 are simply "re-tightening" of the loosened standards from the wars. These standards ARE the standard, WERE the standard prior to 2003 and honestly never should have stopped being the standard. DA in it's need for personnel during the wars relaxed the regulations and allowed certin waivers that were prohibited before 2003. This accomplished the goal of reaching recruiting and retention goals that actually met the demand for personnel that the wars forced upon us with the authorization for additional troops in the early stages of the wars. DA is now downsizing due to the wars ending and not needing those extra troop numbers any longer. With that downsizing comes the tightening of those standards that were loosened (tatoos, body fat etc) and the denial of some of those waivers that were allowed during the wars. So again, not really a change so much as taking a step back in time.

SFC Davis,

Some of these already exist...
e.g. 5, 11, 15, etc.

Completely disagree with #5 and #14.  Would like to see more detail on #14.  Reference #12 I remember we were not supposed to have our BDUs commercially pressed and NO starch.  Yeah right.  That was the only way not to get busted out on the uniform.