Really weird question

[Pamela H in Texas]

I met a military man yesterday who had his head completely shaven. I thought people in the military had to have their hair a certain length, like a regulation hair cut or something? Of course, balding wouldn't be held against someone, I would assume. I said something about King of the Hill (Bill on there is a military hair cutter) but hubby says I shouldn't get my info from a cartoon. LOL Seriously, I thought that before I saw the show.

 

So is there a military cut? Or a regulation? or it's okay to shave your head completely?

 

BTW, he was in a uniform. Not the really formal one. But similar to what men would use when hunting.

[Wyndie]

There are regulation guidelines as to how long, how stylish it can be but no, they can be bald. :) Military women can have long hair but have to have it pinned up while in uniform. I see most military men on base sporting a flat top at all the bases we've been at, but bald seems to be coming back into fashion too.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

There is no limit to the shortness, just the length. In other words, you can have it as short as you want, but no longer than regulation. When dh was in, you had to have a tapered cut with the hair well off your ears and not touching your collar at the back of your neck.

[Mrs Mungo]

He was in ACUs? Like this? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Combat_Uniform

 

There are regulations on haircuts, they are called "grooming standards," lol, sounds fancy, huh? Basically, their hair cannot be beyond a certain length, it has to blend, it can't have a line or anything and so forth. Here's a good link to learn more: http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/army/a/armygrooming.htm. They can wear their hair shaved if they want. Some units (especially Marines and Airborne units) prefer a "high and tight" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_and_tight and some units (especially Special Ops units) tend toward slightly longer hair styles.

[Wyndie]

Some units (especially Marines and Airborne units) prefer a "high and tight" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_and_tight and some units (especially Special Ops units) tend toward slightly longer hair styles.

 

Why is that do you suppose? Do they just conform to what's around them or is there an actual reason?

[Pamela H in Texas]

Thanks y'all :)

 

I knew y'all'd be a better source of info than a cartoon. LOL

 

Seriously, I just figured that though there were probably some choices, that it was something like that the sides and back were to be between X and Y and the top had to be between X and Z. I didn't know they could shave it completely.

 

Actually, my hubby shaved his completely last Monday, I think it was. He had a lot of thick hair on the sides and back. It was VERY thick, but it was thinning on top. Not badly, by any stretch, but he was very self-conscious about it. So he shaved it (well, had dd do it).

[Mrs Mungo]

Why is that do you suppose? Do they just conform to what's around them or is there an actual reason?

 

The SOF units tend toward longer hair styles because it helps them blend with civilian populations. The Airborne Ranger type prefers a look that is more well..."hooah." ;) I guess it better expresses their particular esprit de corps.

[Wyndie]

Ah, thank you for that explanation. :D

[hornblower]

Some units (especially Marines and Airborne units) prefer a "high and tight" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_and_tight and some units (especially Special Ops units) tend toward slightly longer hair styles.

 

Thank you for that link.

The photo - well. It's just such a nice photo of a haircut. It is true you can't see it very well on the main page & you actually have to click on it to make it full size. So you can see the details of the haircut. Yes. The haircut is very nice.

 

(Why don't we have a smiley of a person fanning themselves?)

[Mrs Mungo]

Thank you for that link.

The photo - well. It's just such a nice photo of a haircut. It is true you can't see it very well on the main page & you actually have to click on it to make it full size. So you can see the details of the haircut. Yes. The haircut is very nice.

 

(Why don't we have a smiley of a person fanning themselves?)

 

HA! I laughed so hard my husband came upstairs to see what I was doing! :lol:

[AndyJoy]

When my high school classmate was accepted to West Point they made him grow his hair longer because they had a regulation cut for their incoming students.