The Army will now allow women to wear ponytails in all uniforms

SSG Samuel Kermon - Why shouldn't we Samuel? If the women can do it and they want equal opportunity, why cant we.

SFC William Farrell - Thank you. It's not easy to be politically incorrect these days.

CSM Carl Cunningham - Again, I understand what you’re saying CSM but with all due respect garrison isn’t what it used to be. If women all worked in office environment what you’re saying would be OK, but what about for the women who work field jobs. I can just imagine a woman laying on the floor of a 113 (or whatever the equivalent is these days) laying on the floor next to the motor compartment making adjustments with all the moving parts sucking these ponytails in and ripping them out. Maybe we will see different standards enacted: when the women are in the barracks or administration common areas, they can wear their ponytails, but when they go out to work then they have to put them up into a bun. Where does all this end? Nowhere good in my opinion. The Army got the regulations for hair right the first time, and now because they want to be all inclusive, they will make an uncontrollable monster.

We see a nice picture here of ponytails with a gentle braid. How can that be bad? Does there have to be a braid every inch? Can there be color to the tie? Can there be multiply ties? What’s the spacing? What if the women’s hair is thin and it doesn’t braid easily (doesn’t hold a braid), is it OK to just have the tie and leave the rest loose? I can go on for a few pages here but I won’t bore you. In my opinion if we want a combat effective force this is a bad idea. If we want a politically correct game, well I can see where this new policy will give fodder for quite a long time. At the end of the day if the Army changes the regulations, it will be allowed. My personal opinion is if this policy is enacted it will divide soldiers more then it will unite them.
http://adigaskell.org/2021/04/29/innovators-tend-to-overestimate-their-own-ideas/

CSM Carl Cunningham - In my opinion beards and ponytails are bad ideas. Mission always needs to come first. I realize there are many opinions, and mine is only one. My opinion is these new hair policies will make us less combat ready, and add headaches for enforcement.

Agreed...it makes perfect operational sense and allows females to have some individuality off duty. I have talked with some of our Airmen where I work and they say it relieves headaches, headgear fits better, and same for combat gear and flight helmets...they get a complete prefect fit now versus having to make a helmet "work". I agree that there are gonna be some that moan, groan, and hyperbolize...but the decision has been made.

Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth - I scrolled up on the thread and found the hyperbole..lol. Knew it was coming.

Of course, those who feel left out because this doesn't apply for them, or bitch about not having beards, even though there's a form to submit to HQDA that not enough male soldiers submitted.