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

Shaving a recruits head is part of disease control which is why for the first week every trainee is put into quarters for climate acclamation because of different viruses and colds. All immune systems are different and this allows the body to build anti bodies. Its got nothing to do with slavery or anything else. Its all part of immune isolation.

Equality means same for all. You can not pick and choose which part you want to be equal with.

I have always felt that if women wanted to be 100% equal to men in the military, then they should BE 100% equal to men. They fought long and hard and are now able to volunteer for any job or role in the military that might have formerly only been available to men. However, they have also fought long and hard to keep their hair longer than men. If people are to be equal, then they must BE equal. This reminds me of that religious post about a man wanting to grow a beard because of his religion. This is just another example of how people want to be treated the same but have extra privileges at the same time. Everyone who joins the military knows before they join that they are required to adhere to a certain set of grooming standards, especially in boot camp where you are left with pretty much no hair at all at the start.

The fact that women are considered equals now in terms of all of their job/role opportunities and at the same time women are allowed to grow hair and men are not is simply women all wanting to have something to feel superior to men about. Just like someone being allowed to grow a beard. They do it so they can feel better than their peers. How about instead of trying to find ways where you can do something to feel better or superior to your peers, you do things so that you are all equal?

I hate to bring Hollyweird into this, but famous actresses have been known to shave their heads for roles. Sigourney Weaver shaves her head for Alien3. Demi Moore shaves her head for G.I. Jane (which has the extra added effect of the fact that she did it so she would be more equal to her peers in a military setting). Even for non-action movies, how many actresses have shaved their head to portray someone with cancer going through chemo? Sure, they get paid a lot more, but the bottom line is that if someone wants to play a role (Soldier/Sailor/Marine/Airman (Airperson?)), then they should be willing to commit to that role.

As a parting suggestion for a policy change, I think maybe they should treat it like they did when the Navy wanted to outlaw tattoos on Sailors (not sure what the other branches did, but I heard about the policy changes after I got out). The people who had tattoos were allowed to keep them and not get new ones before they got out. Anyone coming into the Navy after the policy change was not allowed to have a tattoo (visible tattoo? Not sure exactly what the policy was changed to, my memory is poor in my old age, and I'm afflicted with The Dumb quite often) or get one after joining. So maybe allow current female service members to continue their current grooming standards until they get out, but anyone joining after a certain date will be required to adhere to the same grooming standards as everyone else. Just a suggestion.

It was originally done to prevent lice in the barracks at the beginning of training.

Maybe it started as delousing process and lost it’s meaning over time. Probably found it quicker to shave everyone’s hair than a customize haircut.

From what I was told the reason why they do it is fo prevent lise spread.

Well when I was in the Drill Sergeants told us one simple thing and we accepted it that was we all as of enlisting were going to be the best soldiers the United states would ever turn out so that ment every Male was to be uniformed and United that is why when summer you see every single soldier with the bdus folded up I'm the sleeves and trousers bloused in your boots and have you just ever really took notice that every soldier that har to have glasses all wear those same black rim glasses and the last thing the D.I said was how in the holy hell would you like to wake up with somebody else lice don't know about you but some of us don't get lice in our hair we get it down below the belt area so no thank you and to this day I am still bald and once more the girls seem to like my bald head

I'll shave my head if I can have pockets to align my ribbons to. Seriously, they say there are no stupid questions but this makes one wonder. By the by, I saw a few females back in the day have to get the shittiest short cut ever because they couldn't keep their bun in regs. I'd rather shave my head than deal with keeping my hair up in a bun that makes you start balding after awhile. Do you want to wear a skirt too bro? It's a new Army after all.

J

Sigh.

If one of my soldiers ever initiated this conversation I would make the leadership decision that idle time has led to an idle mind and find them something to do.

Dam I hate it when this phone changes my words and thinks it is smarter than I sm! In the post below "silver" should be "sulphur" , "NIW" should be "Now" and a bunch of other craps this phone put in!#

The shaved heads are done to ensure no headlicecor other critters came with you to Basic Training. It was started before females were allowed in the Army and has just never been looked at since. NIW you can make all recruits wash their hair with silver or some other critter killer to have the same effect. I would say if males were forced to shave heads so should females. You cannot pick and choose what parts of "equal treatment" you want - it must be all or nothing.

Ok so first off, the shaved heads for males are a means of taking away individuality which most ppl express thru clothes and hairstyle both of which are removed and made uniform. The purpose at least for the Corps when I went thru was to break down entirely your sense of self as an individual. For the females, they are required to have hair that, if left down doe not touch the shoulder or must be able to be put up in a bun of some type and not interfere with the wearing of a cover. The reasons why females do not have shaved heads i believe goes back to the simple fact that women don't keep their hair close cropped as men do. Its an empathetic consideration in my opinion to female specific needs and preferences while not impacting ideas of equality. Females also tend to find more time for hygiene like at Marine recruit training, each evening we wwre given 1 hour of "SDI time" to write home, organize our stuff and socialize with other platoon members. Males do not put as much attention into hygiene as females and i believe studies or polls were taken that showed females used this time much more often for additional personal hygeine. This fights against stuff like lice from a sanitary standpoint while males its easier to shave heads to combat this possible issue.
Other respects are considered as well. At the end of recruit training we were allowed to get a high and tight, which makes having a LITTLE bit of that individuality back as a reward while still remaining part of the team.

First, it is not "shaving" off of hair. Your hair is cut down to peach fuzz length. Fine stubble that still indicates you have hair. Its entertaining is to create "equality but to also help identify any medical issues like lice. Females in the military want equality, so let them get the same hair cut in basic training. Then follow the standards as men.

Hair grows back young troop and if you want to look at it this way. Females have a heck of a harder time than male troops, they have standards as well. There hair has to be up all the time. All you have to do is roll out of the rack. If your crying about this now what else are you going to cry about? Then go ahead and get out, real troops don’t need someone who cry’s about everything under the sun, you won’t be trusted by your peers. That’s a fact.
US Army 1st Sgt. Retired

It is for transition from civilian to Soldier. Also hygiene requirements. As for the female thing yes I believe all genders should have to shave their heads minus religious exception. Not religious myself but we have agreed as a country to have a separation between government and religion.

It should be universal from a hygiene standpoint. Folks are coming from the civilian world and will be in close contact with fellow troops. I can’t tell you how many times I had to treat critters on troops!!

When I enlisted in 1962, we were told that ir was to make sure we were not smuggling in head lice.

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

I like the idea of shave them all, but I always assumed it was for hygiene reasons.

When I started my army career, head shaving was a court martial offense. The haircut regulation was very strictly enforced for everyone in those days and we need to get back into the habit of doing so these days. The maximum and minimum length of the hair should be exactly the same for both genders and head shaving should again be a court martial offense

While my gut reaction is everyone should be forced to shave their heads, because it's part of the soldierification (There's my Bush Jr. scrabble word of the day) process - I have to look at this from a recruiting perspective. With the military struggling to make its numbers, and at the same time trying to boot everyone out for not meeting the new PT Standards (though memos released have delayed that catastrophe), making everyone (especially women) shave their heads will reduce otherwise qualified recruits from signing up. I think the right answer is, that everyone gets a card and they get to pick their hair cut from the card.

While we're on the subject... what if a man wants to grow their hair out and put it up in a bun?

If a female don't keep her hair off the collar and with in Military standards, we have to get it cut.

double set of standards

Shaving the head helps the new recruit transition from the "I/Me" mentality to "We/Us". While for many, women recruits being exempt from the "billiard ball" period is unfair, one of the first things that a new male recruit has to understand is the necessity to be a member of the team. Also, shaved head allowed for detection and elimination of head lice: a problem that still exists in many communities from which many recruits come. Last but not least, the United States Armed Forces have absolutely no need for "Prima Donas" who from Day-1 think that they are better than their fellow trainees/boots. All should still have to get used to being a "maggot, etc." until they have earned the right to be called a Soldier, Sailor, Marine or Airman, etc.

Should be the same for all. Either we are all soldiers, or some are not!

Shave head is not mandatory. You shave your head if you want to. Know if you looking to start something your are bucking up the wrong tree. Female also have hair standard they have to follow may not be the same as male but they do have regulation that they have to follow.

I would go a step further, in the name of equality. I don’t say this sarcastically at all. I have served with some amazing female soldiers, and some slugs, just like the guys. One of the biggest things that holds women back in military service is gender norming, how many female PT studs have walked around with that patch in the guys blow it off because “female standards.“ Women are not treated with the same level of respect in the military despite the fact that so many positions normally not available to them now are because they are not held to the same standard. We look at gender norming as something done to be fair to them when in fact all it says is you are different and less capable. If there are to be different standards it should be based on position, MOS, rate what have you. Same goes for the haircut. Do you want to go to infantry OUST, say bye-bye to those luscious locks. Do you want to go be an Air Force cyber spook fine with them keep their hair.

I had a porn 'stache to beat all porn 'staches. never got called on it. doing your job and being where you were supposed to be. I never got close to anything that had a flame. on a off note, just before I PCSed I shaved it off..... everyone wanted to know who the new guy was.

I say get over it. Getting a buzz cut in basic is just part of the things that males go through. It's not all that bad, and by the way, news flash. it grows bad. If you have not noticed, The Army tries somewhat to keep females looking like females.

Hey, I'm all for equal treatment.
I know the military has taken differences in physiology into consideration when they made up the Physical Fitness requirements, and apparently the Hair issue as well. I have served with several women who could out perform most men on their worst day. I don't really think a double standard is called for, all Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Air Force personnel should have the same standard.
The Army's new ACFT has made allowances for Combat vs. Non-Combat roles, and this should be the ONLY consideration for standards.

This is simply because of sanitation. Military men had their hair cut very short to reduce the probability of lice. Lice were a huge health problem in WWI, WWII and so on and short hair reduced that problem. Look at Harry Truman's WWI ID picture in David McCullough's biography. He had a high-and-tight and that prevented head lice. Anyone in combat should have a high-and-tight. Besides, I think it's a perfect haircut! Cheap and easy. Semper Fi.

Uniformity. Recruits enter in street clothes and all look different. Well dressed upper class, middle class and kids from the hood can largely be distinguished by their clothes. In my day it was Hippies, the cool ones with their DA haircuts, college kids with flat tops etc. The first step in making every recruit look the same is a shaved head and the uniform. Who your daddy is makes no difference; you're the same whether from a rich family or poor family and former social status is meaningless. Everyone will now be judged entirely on their performance. OTOH, historically, long hair could create health problems with ringworm, head lice etc. So short hair was a hygiene issue as well. Most people today take care of their personal hygiene better than they did in previous generations.

I agree that everyone, both male and female, should have their heads shaved as a way to show that everyone is equal and that everyone will be held to the standard. No more, no less.

In a time where females want to be in the infantry but scream double standards; hell no! You follow the same standard across the board or choose another MOS less demanding. I personally don't care who that offends.

Also no one can argue over who has the longest hair or best looking. You're in the military, not a beauty contest.

Shaving of the head and basic and

I don't think women should get their heads shaved. I do think men should get their heads shaved. They are gonna have to keep that hair off the collar and need to look respectful even when not in uniform. You represent the elite. The military of the Most Powerful Country in the whole world. That is really something to be proud of. I served in The US Air Force. It was hard and I'm so glad it was hard! It gives you a huge feeling of accomplishment acomplishment when you graduate Basic Training !!!

AFI36-2903 would have to be overhauled for gender equality to have a chance.

I believe that AFI 21-101 should not differentiate between male and female for dress and appearance. There would have to be changes made like either women would not be able to wear bras (currently required) or a man would have to start wearing bras for that to be truly equal. There are many other examples as well but that seems to be the most obvious issue for total equality.

Its for hygiene. you don't want a damn lice infestation. Get over it.

Sounds Fair Enough to me. They will all look like Ripley from ALIEN-3 (lol)