Is it appropriate to confront a higher rank when they are blatantly disregarding regs?

You can correct someone who out ranks you. You need to pull them to the side and be respectful. Just in case, show them what regulation it is and maybe what it says specifically. If they pull rank on you or become disrespectful, get their rank, their name, and their unit (if possible), and use your chain of command. You did what you knew was right; it’s no use fighting over it with that person. Beyond correcting them, there is not much else you can do.

You have three choices: 1) correct her on the spot respectively, 2) find someone of equal or higher rank in chow hall to correct her, 3) do nothing like you did which is wrong.

True story I had this lieutenant over my section that had just got his first lieutenant bars I guess he might have been feeling his oats. I just left the barber for my 2-week haircut I walk into the section and lieutenant tells me to go get a haircut then I'm out of regs. I knew for a fact I wasn't it was summertime and I had them cut it extra close. I acknowledged his order confirm with a couple other non-commissioned officers inquiring if my hair meeting regulations in this received not one single remark to the contrary of meeting regulations. I went about my business 2 weeks later I just came back from the barber shop again and was told by the lieutenant to go get a haircut or be charged with disobeying a direct order. By this time it was getting asinine. On my way out to return to the barber I hit every senior NCO I knew on the way out the door inquiring of my hair meeting regulations I stopped and visit the first sergeant and Commander they both remarked it was fine. I went back to my barber explain to her that I had an anal-retentive lieutenant and she trimmed it again for free. I came back into the unit stop the visit the first sergeant and Commander and explain to them why I had asked them about my haircut and regulations that the lieutenant was insisting I go get another haircut and also that the lieutenant hair was touching his ears and his haircut was out of regulations exception noted dismissed In a respectful manner.. I checked with most of the senior ncos on the way to the Lieutenant's office they all commented it was fine the first time. I met the lieutenant outside his office he commented that's how it's supposed to be. I respectfully said to Lieutenant.." sir could I speak to you in private please" we went into his office and I explained " sir you are an example to the men and women here and I regret to inform you that your hair is touching your ears sir and is out of regulations" the Lieutenant snapped off exception noted dismissed. Which was done in a slightly snarky manner. I went on my Merry way and done my job and done my duty and didn't say anything to anybody else from there. About three weeks later the major got a hold of the lieutenant and I understand he chewed up both cheeks and spit out pieces. The next day the lieutenant came in and they had a Kim Jong Un bowl haircut. His hair was shaved about an inch above his ears all the way down the side of his head. He had an afro and his ears laid close to his head. But his hair didn't touch his ears now.. I had nothing personal against lieutenant but he departed from us about a year later to other pastures. But after the threat I'm being charged with disobeying a direct order and the asinine request to get another haircut after I had a fully compliant haircut was just a little too much. Even if you shaved my head my hair was so thick it look like I didn't have a haircut I was even accused of being out of regulations in basic training because my hair was so thick. They wanted to see scalp and even if you cut it close you couldn't see scalp unless I shaved it and that didn't last for long. Classic rule I can give you is praise in public and criticize in private but from experience take notes cover your ass too much rank has its privileges has run amok and all of the branches and there's no longer a moral turpitude clause in the UCMJ to protect you from a revengeful superior.. that in my opinion is the problem in the military no accountability UP the chain. I've seen far too much corruption in three branches I've served in.

She looks like my last commander
CPT Yun Hee Kim

ABSOLUTELY confront anyone, respectfully, when they are out of regs. They may not even realize they're wrong. Your obligation as a servicemember is to be a Wingman....have their six. Please don't let rank scare you, but be 100% sure you know your regs first.

Honestly I’ve seen a lot but, I did approach and understood the regulations and politely quoted with my respect.

While it is said an on the spot correction is what should be done, if may get you rolled up also. I, as a SSGt in the army, made a correction to a SPC. I get a call from EO. Now I was the EO rep for the company. I carried the reg in my car and showed her where she was wrong. if I did not know the EO I would have lost my career. 90% of female claim males do t know the regs and are harassing them. I seen it and handled it. if it does not come back in their favor, they claim it is rigged and more harassment. vicious circle.

I agree with the others. Tact is the key.

I've shared an example elsewhere, but as this question has come up a personal experience bears repeating. I was an E-5 with the 82nd at Ft Bragg. One day I was coming out of the store on my way home when I saw three senior NCOs getting out of their car, as I recall there were two E-7s and one E-8 Master Sergeant. It was about 1983 and they were in their Class B's (Greens Trousers with Gray-green shirt). None of them put on headgear when they got out of the car. I noticed National Guard tags on their car and figured they were at Bragg for Summer Camp.

As they walked across the parking lot in my direction I debated what to do. All these guys outranked me. At the same time...

So I swallowed and said, "Excuse me Sergeants. The Courtesy Patrol is active around here and they'll nab you for being uncovered. That was true.

They paused a moment. I saw one of the E-7s kind of flush. He didn't appreciate being corrected by an E-5. But the E-8 spoke first, "You're right. Thanks Sergeant." He looked at his friends, "The last thing we need is a DR for not wearing a hat offpost."

I breathed a sigh of relief and went on my way.
Tact. It was a learned virtue.

Posting pics without permission of the individual is not really a way to go either.

Respectfully, Tactfully, at a low volume.

Yes you can but it must be done in a very respectful way