Shaved heads in basic training; is this mandatory? If it is, then why and why only for males?

Originally the shaving of the hair was to remove any possible lice that the recruits might be carrying

When I reported for Basic Training, I got a regulation taper cut so my ID picture would look like me. I shaved clean the next visit to the barbershop.

From your article “Women are also required to get first-day haircuts to ensure their hair is trimmed to regulation length, equal to the uniform collar.“
That’s the same in the Army. It’s either up in a gov issued bun or cut/groomed to the standard / not touching the collar.
The question is old and tired. Females are to keep “a feminine appearance.” We do not want to steal femininity from females, this would be prejudicial and seen as another way to discourage women from serving. Feminine is subjective to today’s definition.

Fades and other authorized haircuts would rake too long. Remember units can always make uniform regulations tighter, which is what they do in basic.

Hair standards create uniform appearance in the military. Women have standards also, but they are different. Different lengths of hair also makes it easier to distinguish between a male and female soldier. There are things I can ask a male soldier to do that I cannot ask a female. Being able to see the difference at a distance makes a difference. Women are eligible for many more duty positions, a move I support. But to apply the same standards across the board to women and men will not work.

You may have seen a woman with long hair. After hours, she may be wearing hair extensions, which are very difficult to identify vs natural hair. She could also have been a civilian employee.

This regulation should apply in all of the branches, not just the Army. I personally like to see men look like men, and women like women. As it is said, separate the sheep from the goats.

This is a discussion that has been going on for nearly half of a century. In September 1974, I began BCT at Fort Ord. The barber asked how much hair I wanted to keep, one, two, or three inches. I said three inches, and he buzzed my head and handed me three inches of my hair. Three days later I was in the hospital, having shown up to BCT with Strep Throat.
When I got out, they sent me to a new unit. This unit was part of a pilot program that allowed soldiers in BCT to get a military regulation haircut instead of a buzz cut. I was the only one with a full buzz cut. I kept it the entire eight weeks of BCT; it was so much easier to care for, and it did not feel as dirty when we were in the field.
I understand that the haircut is part of the "break them down to build them up" process; my experience it was not necessary. I could see if women were not forced to get short (not necessarily buzz cuts) it could cause resentment with the male soldiers.
I know that when I entered West Point in 1976 as a member of the "Class of '80, Year of the Lady" (the first year women attended the Academy) we men had buzz cuts and the women had a very short haircut to start Beast Barracks. I don't recall any resentment over haircuts from the male Cadets at the time.

Short hair cuts are the simplest way to prevent lice infestations when you throw a group of people with dissimilar backgrounds together in close proximity. It also tends to "level" them all to a common starting point. Why does everything have to become a personal liberty issue? Lace up your boots and STFU.

Again Rally Point, you need to prune these stupid questions. This one is five years old.

I went through basic training in a different era before the Womans Army Corps were folded into big Army. The close cropping of hair for males is for several reasons.

Hygiene one. Less likely to transmit some nasty things with closely shorn hair.

Uniformity of appearance, we're still individuals regardless, but the uniformity of appearance, works to have a shared experience with your fellow trainee.

Quick identification, seriously, for the few trainees who may decide to disappear to a main exchange, rather than be with the training company. It becomes apparent very quickly some thing is amiss and you will be herded back to where you belong. Except for Church call, trainees had been escorted everywhere.

So while for male soldiers the close cropping may seem dehumanizing, it is more for building the comradery need by shared experiences, so they can help each other make it through basic training.

As for female soldiers needing equal treatment, I'll leave it to a female NCO to respond.

I think shaved for males and very short for females.

Just curious if the 48% that voted both are males. Also there would be a significant decline in females in the force if women were forced to shave their heads. A lot of the idea behind men having their heads shaved is so they do not require frequent hair cuts during basic training. Women obviously tuck their hair away.

I'm not sure if makes should have their heads shaved but a good buzz cut should suffice, I joined back in 78 makes got a good buzz cut, short near bald, the females had theirs cut above the collar, once a young guy decided to shave his head, he got chewed out and close to being charged for doing it, he paid ultimately, his head swelled to the point he had to been by medical, didn't see him for several days, we were in Georgia, Ft Gordon and the days were hot and humid, the sun was blazing, I guess that the sun did a number on this guy's head, after he got back to barracks he was eventually discharged, never knew the circumstances but I believe it had something to do with his shaving his head, but I don't know if the regulations have changed since then, but that's my take on this

Keep in mind that military regulations set guidelines according to what is the most common cultural in a set professional look. Remember that there was a time when females could not wear any nail polish that did not match their skin tone? Then it changed slightly, and then slightly again over time. As times change, and as the mainstream culture changes, so do military regulations. However, until mainstream culture shows women with shaved heads as often as it does women with any given length of hair, I do not see that changing. That being said, I have observed very few men of the usual recruitment age that have a clue how to groom their hair professionally unless someone has mentored them to do so. Whether a male has his head shaved, or merely cut to standard (plus he'd have to go for a haircut far more often to keep it within standards--meaning a bigger time crunch during basic training, he will still have to say goodbye to his former grooming habits along with his long locks of hair if that was the style he had prior to enlistment. Maybe a more appropriate thing would be whether or not the military is ready to accept a male hairstyle with a manbun so that the two genders would be treated less unequally in that area.

Shave them ALL!

Both male and female should get a buzzed hair cut when entering boot camp and after that keep a regulation hair cut through AIT.

First of all your head is not shaved, that would require a razor resulting in a bald head. The reason for cutting the hair short is for hygienic reasons, mainly to ensure no lice infest a platoon. It is also the first step in transforming a civilian into a Marine, soldier, airman, or sailor.

How about having the women recruits get a short, uniform haircut - about two inches long, all over?

Head shaving in basic is not hazing..... me and some buddies busting into your room in the middle of the night is. At least that’s what I was reprimanded for at the time!

I thought it was lice control and transition from long hair child to proud US military member. Plus les stuff to get 8n trouble for