Posted on Apr 12, 2014

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

SSG Robert Burns

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So I was in basic training land today to help with some medical stuff. I couldn't help but noticed all the shaved heads all over the place and then the females with 20 ft of hair. In an era where we are screaming equal treatment; is this equal?I am also wondering why does a new private have to get his head shaved in the first place? Why not just a haircut within Army Standards?

Have the lines between male and female been erased?  Are they trying to be erased or are we picking and choosing which ones we want to erase? Why does a male soldier have no choice in keeping his hair but a female does? If you love Liberty you will vote below.

ADDED: Could this be considered a form of hazing with the crackdown on hazing since this is obviously not a requirement but more of a tradition? I'm not saying I think it is I'm just asking the question. If it's not required and it doesn't apply to everyone.

*****UPDATED******
Well, well, well what do we have here?
http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/careers/2015/01/08/rtc-boot-camp-haircuts-navy/21439483/

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Drill Sergeant

Edited >1 y ago

Posted 11 y ago

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Both males and females should have their heads shaved if any at all.

Only males should have their heads shaved.

No one should be forced to shave their head, just a haircut within Army Standards should be enforced.

Hair standards have nothing to do with equality.

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Responses: 458

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MSG Barbara Hensley Lawson

Posted >1 y ago

OMG ... it's ONE time, it's ONE haircut. It grows [nearly] back by the time you graduate, then you never have to get it shaved, ever. If you don't like the rules and regulations of the military then why are you enlisting? Do us a favor and don't bother. There are many more serious issues that need to be addressed first.

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CWO2 Shelby DuBois

Posted >1 y ago

If something like this hair cut is bothering you, it should. People love their hair...it's part of what makes you you...how you are perceived by peers, by strangers...and it's the sheer vanity of it that makes the shearing your first step toward a new world. It's part of your first "uniform"... Greek for 'one body'.... Boot Camp is where you learn that what you think you know about yourself is wrong, that you didn't know everything about your capabilities. The hair cut is way of standardizing the training surface...to meld you and your platoon into a common starting point. If this little inconvenience bothers you and you want to wear a uniform....join UPS.

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SSgt Rebekah Adams

Posted >1 y ago

For males, shaved or short hair is less of a burn hazard than for females. Many boys get super short hair as little boys for the summer. For females who may be having a faster return to civilian jobs-think guard and reserve- a shaved head might make Service to our country unperformable as well as undesirable

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PO2 John Driskill

Posted >1 y ago

1968, I and other recruits got our heads shaved at Great Lakes Boot Camp. I was told that there was another reason for the head shaving. "Lice." Some of the recruits would have head lice, crabs, etc. NTC Great Lakes had a special area barracks for those who had vermin on their person.

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TSgt Gary McPherson

Edited >1 y ago

Posted >1 y ago

I only had to go through the Marine Boot.They cut our hair as close as the clippers could get.Later the Corps changed it to around a 1/4 inch.Some people complained about the close cuts.This was way back in 1956.I did not mind the close cut but never understood why.Not sure what Marine boot regs are today

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SSG John Lehmer

Posted >1 y ago

So much for following the standards set by the Army. We weren't allowed to have shaved head in my basic training. It was considered as a fad and or a racist haircut. The Skin heads and KKK were noted for shaving their heads. 1976

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SSG Darrell Peters

Posted >1 y ago

The original reason for a very short haircut and it is not shaving as 1/4 of an inch is left after the hair cut, is medical. Head Lice. It was employed as far back as I can recall during WWI and WWII. during the draft. Recruits came from every corner of the country and of course, some brought little critters with them. It was thought that women took better care of their hair and were more sanitary than men and to do a very short haircut on a woman was not even considered. They were inspected for headlice but generally, head lice were more prevalent in the males than the females.
When I went through basic you were given the option of a close haircut or a regulation hair cut. Since we were cloistered away for 8 weeks the close hair cut was more practical. Only one opted for a regulation hair cut.

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SFC Don Ward

Posted >1 y ago

Yes, we are picking and choosing what represents equality. If we are equal, why do females still have skirts and pumps in their uniform? The ACFT is supposed to get rid of gender differences? Lots of our traditional little points remain, when will they go away.

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CPT William Jones

5 y

The female uniforms also have trousers in all classes of uniforms today. Different parts do seem to have different cuts but that is because girls fit different. But they look very similar. I was in a long time ago but have son currently serving and I never saw a female in a dress in uniform They all had trousers.

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Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D.

Posted >1 y ago

Shave them all if we are going to have equal standing.

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PO1 Kevin Dougherty

Posted >1 y ago

Lice ... I suspect that it originated simply as a practical way to control lice and other head born pests. Would that apply to women? Yes it would but societal rules and expectation makes that most unlikely.

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