Grooming Standards: How did it come to this?

I have 3 uncles that served in WW II, Korea & Vietnam and none of the 3 had long hair. 2 of them kept crew cuts their entire lives.

I've seen this same type of discussion in the Corps, where high and tights are the norm. Personally the medium reg is a good way to go. Short enough to have the clean performance, and yet long enough to blend into most regular nonmilitary settings. I'd only recommend a high and tight aka the boot cut when deploying to someplace where showers and cleanliness is not expected something about going to places where sand, dirt, and grime are plentiful and soap, water, and shampoo are not that makes every hair follicle hurt from the slightest touch. I spent most of my time stationed out at 29 Palms. Another benefit of not going with the high and tight or any other extremely short cut is the odd tan line. When in civilian attire and uncovered those that wore their hair in high and tights often had a strange tan line caused by their their covers only partially covering their heads. Don't get me wrong I have no problem with high and tights, shaved heads, but a medium reg just makes more sense to me.<br>

Honestly certain grooming standards were implemented due to the rise of new types of warfare.  Close cut hairstyles are less likely to be home to lice, which in the unclean environments we are often faced with on deployments can proliferate to unit and morale damaging levels.  Facial hair regulations were instituted during times of chemical warfare, if you have even a small amount of facial hair in the area of the seal in your gas mask it will not seal properly.  Honestly alot of the actual and "supposed" regulations that are enforced are ultimately for preventative measures or to maintain the look of a professional.  Do I agree with them all, most definitely not, but I can understand why some of them are the way they are.

I've worn a high and tight for the last 10 years for one reason: it's easy. In my career field we'll go days or weeks at a time without a shower. Why would I want to deal with a mop of crusty matted hair?

I always snicker a bit when I see the guys who have to go fix their hair every time they take their cover off. It seems a bit silly to me. We're not in the Army to make a fashion statement.

I was never told to get a high and tight, and to my recollection I never instructed a Jr. Marine to get one. I wore them though because, as has been stated by other posters, it was easy to maintain. On a side not, I still get one every now and then.....lol.

I keep my hair parted on the sides with a little length on top to comb; it is somewhat 1940ish looking and that is ok with me. I like keeping a neat and clean professional appearance furthermore when off duty I do not want to be immediately identified as a Soldier for security reasons.

I can see the advantage of the high and tight and other such cuts when it comes to hygiene in the field.

I'm on the same page with the initial post here. 
however I understand we came to the point we are at in an effort to instill discipline and conformity. 
I agree that it is possible to have a modern hairstyle and still be a presentable professional though.

It was hygienic. It allowed proper gas mask fit. It required less time to process hundreds of recruits. You can call the reasons weird but understandable. It isn't possible to blend in, helping to catch those AWOL people. Before they get too far. It served a purpose, maybe it still does, maybe equipment and hygiene have improved from back in the day. Hope so.

They shaved my head in Boot Camp, Hell I told them to do it after wearing a Black Ball Cap in Orlando in the Summer for a week and it never really did grow back. Started getting used to my Wreath a long time ago and now it is a right proper salt and pepper one of a Grandpa.