Posted on Apr 15, 2014
Military hairstyle of choice and the men who wear them
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My hair is considered to be long by Army standards. I don't like the buzz cut/flat top style of hair. It makes me look like a tool. So I wear my hair the way I like it and have been chastised my entire career--even though I keep it in regs all the time. Some folks have called me Elvis, which I take as a compliment.<br><br>Post your favorite hairstyle, preferably as a picture of you. How do you feel about the standard Army cut and those that aren't similar?<br><br>Even better, do you have a story of a Troop who went out of their way to grow their hair so they could squeak by the regs just enough to sort of be ok?<br>
Regulation
Grooming Standards
Uniforms
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 45
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I'm balding, so I shave my head. I usually remind people, God only made a few perfect heads, the rest he put hair on.
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For a long time I would just buzz it with a one on the clippers. Due to heavy persuasion from household 6 I now keep it at a middle fade with a little on the top. The deal was though I'll keep my hair only as long as she learned how to cut it and cuts it every week. I did threaten her though once I retire I'm growing a mullet "professional in the front party in the back"..
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In Iraq (BIAP), there was an Arkansas NG SPC who came strolling through the DFAC with a mohawk. He walked by senior NCOs and officers alike. I was SGT at the time, and when I saw this, I wasn't sure what to be mad at more, the fact that he thought he could wear that type of hairstyle, or the fact that none of the SNCOs and Officers said anything. I proceeded to get up from my dinner and follow him. I asked him to step out of the line and pulled him to the side and corrected him, politely. He said his haircut was in reg, and turned his back to me and walked away, at least he tried to walk away. I lost it, at that point. I commenced to giving him the third degree about disrespecting an NCO, and told him to fix his haircut. I also told him that if I caught him out somewhere on the compound with the same hairstyle, I would personally low-crawl his arse to the barber shop to get it fixed.
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CW5 Randy Kirgiss
Sorry Chief, if you don't see the problem with both the SPC turning his back to an NCO while being addressed, or the fact he had a Mohawk - I see where the problem is.
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CW5 Michael Scheller
I for one am glad they updated and detailed more information on hairstyles in AR 670-1. The term faddish or moddish hairstyle left for far too much interpretation on all sides of an issue. For instance I had back to back First Sergeants, one who stated that shaving your head was faddish who changed responsibility with a guy who shaved his not balding head.
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SFC Vernon McNabb
I shave mine because I am balding in the front and on top. In a year, the two sides would have met anyways.
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If your hair looks like it does in the photo, no issues. My problem with it is when people don't get their weekly trim to BARELY keep within regs. My LT's are killing me right now. I haven't seen a larger group of hair farmers since the 1980's. If someone comes in with their hair on their ears...and if I have to get close to you to tell...it's touching your GD ears...I give them 24 hours to get it straight or they get the SCO cut (I'm bald). Haven't had to break the clippers out yet. It honks my log that people prefer to try and squeak by though. It matters.
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CW4 (Join to see)
On the bright side, the GWOT must really be over if we have time to worry about hair touching ears. Great job, everybody! >HIGHFIVE<
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COL (Join to see)
Yeah..I never worried about regulations when the war was on either chief...wait...WTF? No, I always cared about it. It's a regulation. Live it, love it, enforce it ruthlessly.
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SSG Eddye Royal
Sir, the Truth of the matter is this. If your Troops, is so lazy, PUT MUDD on them in when the Water come down, on the Forehead. Let the People know they can get lice. Like the guys did back in the 1st Gulf then Everyone will cut all the Hair off, including the Ladies.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
i always got a haircut at least once a week while in uniform and was never told I needed a haircut because I never did. I maintained that standard I learned as a cadet at a Military Academy and right through 22 years of Military Service. I still keep My hair that way pretty much but may go two weeks before another haircut sometimes.
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So the biggest question is do you wear your hair the same on a daily basis as you do on your DA Photo?
If so, great.
If not, why not?
If your daily wear hair is not professional enough for your official photo that is used for consideration for promotion, then please explain why is it professional enough for daily wear.
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CW2 Jonathan Kantor
My hair is the same for my DA photo as it is daily. It is always combed and off the ears, eyebrows, and collar. Why should I have to buzz-cut my hair and look like an idiot? Some people just don't look good with the more extreme (Now common) hairstyles in the Army.
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CSM (Join to see)
Good deal then.
I loathe the folks who look one way on a daily basis then go get a "Squared Away" haircut, or shave the stash or sideburns right before their DA Photo.
If you have a position stick to it.
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SFC Cornelius Walsh
1SG, I was advised to have a very traditional "Army" haircut for my DA photo by a number of Senior Leaders. Their comments were that though my hairstyle of choice is in keeping with AR 670-1, that some senior leaders may not approve of it for a DA photo. I don't think it's the right answer, but I'm not one to ignore advice from multiple senior leaders.
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SSG Bobby Castle
What one must always remember. The Regulations are a Guide line. They can be added too but not taken away from. In a time when the army is looking to draw down I think I would do what ever it took to stay above par. What they don't tell you as a young NCO is you are competing with every other E-5 - E-7 to make rank within your MOS. Why would you want to just do the bare minimum?
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CW2 Jonathan Kantor, there was a period of time in the seventies when soldiers were actually authorized to wear wigs to cover long (like shoulder length) hair! Imagine what was an authorized haircut! I'll try to find a photo of a soldier wearing a wig!
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I once had a soldier who grew out his Afro, but kept it high and tight on the sides, kind of like the dude from Kidd and Play, but not so tall. He kept the top so tight that it looked like it was maybe only an inch and a half or so off his head. No one really noticed it or really cared until one day he came in to work with it shaped like a beret (flash and insignia included). STILL no one noticed until he got in the building and was told to remove his headgear. We laughed and laughed... He had to borrow $5 to get a buzz cut...
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