When will the Military stop conforming to the volunteer and start upholding the standard rules and regulations?

Times have changed, people have changed and unfortunatley we also have to change. Some may say for the worse and some may say for the better. This isn’t your grandpas military anymore. Standards have been relaxed to adjust to the x-box and PlayStation generation. If standards were not relaxed recruiting would be in the hurt locker. Priorities have shifted on what is needed in today’s military. We need people that can play video games to fly drones and drop bombs where we don’t need as many fit, mean and lean troops to fight.

Why does RallyPoint dig up these threads? This one’s from a year ago...

The only one I can think of that you might be mentioning for the hair point are the Sikh's, and almost from the beginning they used to be in the Army, but after WW2 the War Dept came down and said "cut your hair and shave your beards" This is in direct opposite to their religion (which is about 1500 years old I would guess, but much older than the USA is regardless). During the time of their service, they were considered some of our best warriors and soldiers by their leaders of the day. They are now able to return to serving their country with honor. I have talked with some Sikh's before this change was brought in, and they explained to me that theirs is a warrior religion, training their kids almost from birth to be soldiers for their country. I asked them specificly about gas masks because that was the reason I had been given for why we keep a close shave ourselves, and they had come up with a solution, and they even train to standard 8 seconds on that specific point growing up so that they would be ready if the time came.

Some of the first things I learned in basic training were the customs, courtesies and traditions of my branch of service (Air Force). The organizational structure, the order of rank, how to address my compadres and render appropriate respect. We were stripped of our individuality and made a part of something bigger than ourselves. We were one team and we all looked the same. Those appointed over us were accorded respect unless the individual proved unworthy. The transition starts when the newbie comes through the door.

When will the service start focusing on the mission instead of the fluff? We should focus on function over form. Often we focus on form instead of function. This is what we swore to:

I, _____, having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter; So help me God." (DA Form 71, 1 August 1959, for officers.)

And yet, it is often not what we focus on. I've had people demand I salute them in a combat zone. I've had people lose their shit over uniform malfunctions when I was a mechanic. I'm not impressed when I crawl out from under your vehicle having fixed it and you feel it is time to gig my uniform.

If someone is focusing on form over function, then they are useless and need to be let go IMO.

The Army should adapt as time goes on and drop our formal uniforms, bands, social balls, and the other "form" stuff and focus only on the function.