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

The requirement for shaving heads goes back to the public health concerns of housing large groups of people from disparate backgrounds with questionable hygiene practices prior to arriving. Hair and body lice are easily stopped by shaving heads, showering, and taking away infested clothing. (Sounds like day 1 of basic training). Females were always treated like queens. Time to treat them equally. Haircuts for all.

If your going to break them in . The both sexes should require equal training .

I believe both males and females should have the option. I asked to have my hair shaved and was told no.

Let's keep one tradition in the military. So many traditions have been taken away based off what society deems as appropriate or equal. I have been a firm believer in the military separating themselves from our civilian counterparts. Theres a reason why most take a hard look in the mirror before they join. I've already seen some compromises the military has made beginning to spiral out of control. Leave things alone.

When I was in Basic (1971) we had a choice of shaved or 3”s. Most opted for shave!

Head shaving in basic training is partially about stripping away individuality. You are no longer an individual, but part of a unit. Haircuts/styles are individual by nature. I am all for everyone having their heads shaved in basic.

The original reason was two-fold:
It tended to put everyone on the same level in appearance, and
Checked for lice or other potentially infectious skin problems.
With the inclusion of women, an adjustment was made. But I do believe their is cut shorter.

Shaving heads is stupid. Regulation hair should be the standard But I couldn't change my vote F* your dervuy. Ehetr my Wild Turleyz!

I can already tell I am going to get fragged over my response, so here goes. It seems that when I scroll down through all the responses I notice one thing. The question originated from, and has been responded to, by Army. WTF? How does someone in the military get to be surprised that recruits have shaved heads? How do you get into the military at all and never realize what boot camp is like? Or officer candidate school,? Or military school? Next thing is that (in the Marine Corps at least) women have a hair style and length regulation. There is no such thing as 20 miles of hair. It is short. Damn short (at least in boot camp). Third thing is WHO THE HELL CARES ??? It is boot camp. Thirteen weeks (eight for all you others) of a persons life. It isn't as if the military makes you stay that way. As a matter of fact, the Corps does not approve of shaved heads and even tried to go as far as doing away with the "high and tight".

My thought is, and I've tried to find support but with no luck, that back in the day when most recruits (obviously before the draft system) were from lower income families and depressed areas the creature lice was a prevalent affliction. So, for health reasons heads were shaved in an attempt to rid the recruit and, by such action, anyone he came into contact with of this dreaded ill as lice infestations could be quite unhealthy. Secondly, the shaved head has always been used as a first step in grooming the soldier/airman/boot/recruit into a cohesive unit with everyone beginning on an equal footing. For the women, I don't what today's standards are, but when I first joined the AF the women trainees had their hair trimmed to uniform length during training for much the same reason, then requirements were loosened once trainees were assigned into the regular force.

As long as each gender has professional appearances there should be no head shaving, but at BT, as a female, I purposely had my hair chopped because it is very difficult to put and keep it in a bun 24/7. I think men don't realize what a hassle it is to keep the hair but as a female, in our society, if your head is shaved you'll be classified as a dike and as a male, you're classified as a male with his head shaved. Think about that... there's more to it then just no hair, unfortunately.

Folks, if one cannot bear the thought of shaving head for basic training, then I humbly suggest that the military is not for you.

Who gave CPR to this? Female recruits running around talking about V'GER.

As has been previously stated by an individual, xaverian, upon entering into service with the military has to realize that they are no longer a civilian. Part of this process of transition is a haircut. It is the initial step to show the civilian that they are now a member of a unit. The initial buzz cut that a recruit gets is only a small part of a process of instilling discipline in the new recruit. the Navy is now interested in relaxing some of the small steps of discipline that a recruit must have in order to understand their role in the US Navy. it is hard for me to say this, but I'm glad I got out of the Navy when I did. I'm ashamed of what it's become. It has become infected with political correctness.

The only reason I can think of that is good enough to shave either men’s or women’s heads is that it helps them to break out of the civilian perspective. I may be mistaken but I doubt that lice are much of a problem. Otherwise, I think an Army Standards haircut should do the trick.

But note, if my first reason is THE REASON, then I agree with head-shaving. That may just be a way of saying that it had a big effect on me, settling into the idea that this was a whole new way of the world.

Equal grooming standards. I'm thinking of how much money is going to be spent on body armor designed for longer hair, as apparently is in work. If all personnel had the same hairstyle differing body armor would be unnecessary......

Ok here is the deal

1. If you dont want your head shaved then dont join, it's like a company mandating the wear of uniforms, no beard etc if you dint like it dint work there

2. It's an equal thing everyone looks the same so now you can focus on training vice what your hair looks like

And last as adsurb as it may sound it's for hygiene with people joining from all over no telling what's in there hair


So please dont attempt to use the hazing card

Whether tradition or regulation, having one's head shaved for basic is a great equalizer. The early part of basic is intended, as I understand it, to change the new civilian into a Service team member. To help do this, all traces of civilian life must be erased and all recruits are treated equally. Heads shaved (men), wear uniforms, learn to march in formation, etc., help equalize everybody. Later on I can see allowing recruits to wear their hair IAW Service standards. As for women, I was taught in MANY Air Force and Army training courses I'm not allowed to have or express an opinion.

Focus on the big picture SSG.

SSgt Mimeault

It is a matter oh health, first act of being conformed into a soldier,

I know when I went through Basic back in Oct 1985 at Fort Lost in the Woods, Misery, that haircut "A Charlie Special" as our D.I.s called it was demoralizing to most of us. The first swipe on me was forward and down the center with the hair falling down onto my face. I have a big head and after the haircut the D.I.s called "Brain." And other nickname was "Killer", I looked like a serial kill in prison.

I think THE HAIRCUT was to bring everyone down to the same level. "Lower than Whale S**t."

As for the females. There were formations of females in training and they would be marching by once in a while. The D.I.s would yell, "Don"t f**kin look over at them, they wouldn't want you guys with them f**ked up haircuts.

We all have had our heads shaved. The last time I knew if a female wanted to have hair below the shoulders it had to be in a bun. Anything above the shoulders it could be worn down.

To me it symbolized the beginning of becoming a team, an equal to the guy on either side of me.

"Shaved heads in basic training; is this mandatory? If it is, then why and why only for males?" Women don't look very good with shaved heads...besides guys...your hair WILL grow back!

I feel like if we were allowed to have regulated haircuts I would have to get a haircut every two weeks, therefore with the timeline of basic it would be tedious to send a soldier to get a haircut.

the reason FOR the famous BUZZ CUT was to quickly treat head wounds in basic, AIT, and in the field of battle....women were not subject to the cut due to the upper brass not wanting to destroy the LOOK of a woman...and through the ensuing years, nothing changed...I have never seen an issue with it...all branches of the military have their hair regulations....my niece, who is a MP, truly loves the FLAT TOP cut from the 1950's...low maintenance, she says !!!! I STILL do the BUZZ CUT on my head to this day....just got used to it through the years...and again, low maintenance !!!!!

The males in my boot camp were required to shave their heads upon arrival and got the sides faded every 2 weeks after. This was explained as to get them into the habit of getting it cut every 2 weeks to keep on standards and to get used to seeing their hair when it was ready for a trim. Females were not required but more emphasis on how to make a proper bun. Shaved head on a female is actually against female regulations. I am a female who keeps my hair short have learned our scalp can not show through our short hair

Not privates, recruits.

Interesting how so many individuals are game for forcing females to shave their heads. How would you feel about the other side of that coin? For example, being told you are restricted from certain opportunities because of your gender. Yes, this still happens
Females have earned their place in a predominantly male occupation we have proved stronger, more resilient and more attentive and knowledgeable than many males (not all, obviously)
I've also seen remarks that simply because a female would be reluctant to shave her head she wouldn't be suited or capable of making a sacrifice. The same individuals may have also had a female save them from a potentially deadly or harmful situation, a female who sacrificed the safety of herself and the emotional well being of children she gave birth to, for your sake. I've also seen remarks that if females don't agree with total equality (shaved heads, ect) She should "get the fuck out" Well, if you don't agree with the CURRENT 670-1 maybe it's YOU who should get the fuck out. I will continue to follow the current policies and adapt to any new policies once they are enforced Until then, I'll continue to follow the regs and you can continue to be a salty bigot in the barber shop once a week

It is done to get the young men thinking less as an individual and more like a member of a team.

Head shaving dates back to 1620s England, when Oliver Cromwell demanded all new soldiers who swore fealty to shave their heads

This is tricky. I agree with DS Morgan it takes a long time. However, I will never let my hair return to that style because when I went through we had to take our patrol caps off during specific training times. My head was not used to not being covered and now I have permanent scarring on the top of my head from the burns. Even the sunscreen they gave us didn't help. It's not going to be fun explaining that if I ever start balding.

Well I believe woman should have a haircut to at least to the shoulders if possible during BCT. It will have more uniformity. They won't have to get another haircut most likely during the whole period of BCT. Maybe one more before graduation?

Shaved mine beforehand

First of all the haircut is NOT shaving the head. It is a very close to the scalp cut. I'm not sure why females aren't required to get the cut but there are different standards (especially for pt test.)

High and tight you know you're right !

They already have a hard enough time recruiting females, I don't think requiring them to shave their heads will up those numbers.

The haircut is part of the psychology of B CT . Removing the hair removes the individual, we all became the same.

When I was in basic at Fort Leonard Wood in 1980 we had a choice of the shaved head or the long cut. The recruits that opted for the long cut looked so bad, that the rest of us just got the shave. We all rubbed each guys head as they ran the gauntlet outside of the barbershop. Since we had to pay for the haircut, the less time we had to go the better. Plus it was one less thing to mess with.
I'm not sure how the female recruits handled long hair, but I am sure it was a pain. Personally, I would not like to see the girls with shaved heads, but maybe with a short bob cut.
The reason why the Army had shaved heads and faces was so the helmet and gas mask would fit properly.

The Naval Academy cuts female plebes' hair to should length. Could implement something like that for BCT to be more along the lines of equality.