in the army why dont you get to keep your long hair?why cant u keep it?

Question

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Answer 1

The last answerer got it, but many other things mentioned above are true. In war, especially WWI, the trenches meant a long tour of duty without bathing and being left in the mud. This lead to lice and other parasites affecting a lot of soldiers. Loosing one's hair was a small price to pay to be free of biting little bugs. This just gets passed on as tradition. Many other things are true such as in a hand to hand fight, your hair can be pulled for an easy attack on the throat or that your hair can interfere with the seal of your mask.

Answer 2

Well the girls can keep it, but it has to be to regs at or above the collar. Guys have their regs to for the reasons already listed here. You can actually have more hair than a lot of people think. Instead of bald, shaved, or the standard high and tight my husband keeps a long high n tight (for the army) The very top of his head where his beret will cover usually gets fairly long almost an inch or more before he cuts it. Of course everything below that is shaved like the usual high n tight. The 82nd is really a pain about that, any time his hair is the least bit long his CoC gets on him about it, because the 82nd is big on professionalism. I would think guard and reserve units would prolly almost leave you alone until you have to go on a base to drill. Oh and one last note a lot of the elite forces are growing long hair and beards now to help blend into the different countries they travel to (mainly the middle east, it's seen as a sign of respect for their culture and helps them blend in a little more than the typical soldier).

Answer 3

Long hair can interfere with the seal of the Protective mask to your face. it can also give the enemy a great place to grab in a hand to hand fight. Basically, in the military, it's more of a pain in the *** than it is worth, but the biggest reason I think is that hair helps to identify you and your personality, all of which is a no-no in the military. The military wants you to look and act the same way as the next soldier to build a cohesive team. You can't do that by all looking and acting differently. incidentally, that's why most teams wear the same uniforms.

Answer 4

I would agree with you can't get a seal on you gas mask, it interferes with the placement of the harness. I also agree that it has to do with everyone looking alike and build team unity. Also the cleanest bit, While station in Desert Storm men got three minute showers women got 5 and who in the heck once to be in a shower if there was a chemical attack. and you had a bunch of hair to wash. Most female found out and cut theirs once we got to Saudi

Answer 5

I think the original reasons were for quick cleaning in the two minute shower and it prevents lice. Historically prisoners had their heads shaved to prevent lice. Street fighters would sometimes shaved their heads so people couldn't pull their hair.

Answer 6

They don't want you to act as an individual, but as a group. Hair is an expression of who you are. If your head is shaved, like everyone else, it helps people to think of themselves as a team.

Answer 7

To be part of a team effort.

This and also if you have to crawl through bushes, your hair won't get caught on to anything.

Answer 8

they listed the answers already... today it is done for:
a) stripping the recruit of individualty
b) uniformity
c) hygenie
d) safety (combat and gas-masks)
e) comfort

Answer 9

I would imagine that it has something to do with forfeiting one's individuality, among other things.