Posted by Ryan_C
Link: Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia
on June 14, 2012, 3:33 pm, in reply to "Re: Military cuts on older men"
71.163.142.69 | Message modified by user Ryan_C June 14, 2012, 6:59 pm
The actual regulations laid out in AR 670-1 are not very specific. There is actually a lot of leeway in terms of what a guy can get away with. The current trend is indeed for shorter hair, but military hairstyles go through trends just as civilian fashions do. In the past (from Vietnam through the early 1990s), you would see army guys with relatively longer hair. I've seen military personnel (usually older and higher ranking) with hairstyles similar to the man in the video. Granted, it could probably be cleaner, and the top combed or cut neater, but it's not unusual to see that cut on military. Here are the actual regulations. There are a lot of different cuts that can fit within these standards:
Male haircuts will conform to the following standards:
The hair on top of the head must be neatly groomed. The length and bulk of the hair may not be excessive or present a ragged, unkempt, or extreme appearance. The hair must present a tapered appearance. A tapered appearance is one where the outline of the soldier’s hair conforms to the shape of the head, curving inward to the natural termination point at the base of the neck. When the hair is combed, it will not fall over the ears or eyebrows, or touch the collar, except for the closely cut hair at the back of the neck. The block-cut fullness in the back is permitted to a moderate degree, as long as the tapered look is maintained. In all cases, the bulk or length of hair may not interfere with the normal wear of headgear or protective masks or equipment. Males are not authorized to wear braids, cornrows, or dreadlocks (unkempt, twisted, matted, individual parts of hair) while in uniform or in civilian clothes on duty. Hair that is clipped closely or shaved to the scalp is authorized.
Males will keep sideburns neatly trimmed. Sideburns may not be flared; the base of the sideburn will be a cleanshaven, horizontal line. Sideburns will not extend below the lowest part of the exterior ear opening.
Males will keep their face clean-shaven when in uniform or in civilian clothes on duty. Mustaches are permitted; if worn, males will keep mustaches neatly trimmed, tapered, and tidy. Mustaches will not present a chopped off or bushy appearance, and no portion of the mustache will cover the upper lip line or extend sideways beyond a vertical line drawn upward from the corners of the mouth. Handlebar mustaches, goatees, and beards are not authorized. If appropriate medical authority prescribes beard growth, the length required for medical treatment must be specified. For example, “The length of the beard will not exceed 1/4 inch.” Soldiers will keep the growth trimmed to the level specified by appropriate medical authority, but they are not authorized to shape the growth into goatees, or “Fu Manchu” or handlebar mustaches.
Males are prohibited from wearing wigs or hairpieces while in uniform or in civilian clothes on duty, except to cover natural baldness or physical disfiguration caused by accident or medical procedure. When worn, wigs or hairpieces will conform to the standard haircut criteria as stated above.
Males are prohibited from wearing cosmetics, to include nail polish.
All personnel will keep fingernails clean and neatly trimmed. Males will keep nails trimmed so as not to extend beyond the fingertip.
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