Is it mandatory to get your head shaved in the US Army?

Yes, it is mandatory to shave your head. If you don’t they will cut it for you as soon as you report to boot camp.

@jackm thanks for the answer :)

However this does not apply to female recruits does it?

I believe you are right @Dog, the next question is why there is a difference between the men and women. The women’s hairstyles do have to follow certain guidelines.

I have heard stories of women being forced to shave their head, but I don’t think it is mandatory.

I wonder if they would allow me to not wear the little hats if I joined the army… My hair wouldn’t fit lol

@jackm you mean like Demi Moore in GI Jane?

link

It is mandatory for the males to shave their heads, but as for the females, they have to wear their hair in a tight and low bun. (need to fit those hats on)

The answer is no, hair must not be pull able, allowing for some length. Women do not have to shave their hair as they cannot (or could not be, before?) in direct combat so there is no need for short hair. Males in non-combat positions keep it short out of mandatory tradition.

when in basic training the last thing you want to do extra is have to mess with your hair, trust me. When I went through basic it was rush rush rush and there wasn’t time to wipe my ass half of the time. Not needing to comb or brush your hair is handy. Donning a protective mask with those rubber straps is one gigantic hair yank so having a skinner is a big plus. When you get to permanent party base you don’t have to get a skinner but it still has to be short.Besides, everyone else gets the same do, so nobody will be in a position to tease in basic.

A great loophole I have found is being in the Air National Guard. In basic training there is nothing you can do about it, they shave your head. But as @woodcutter says, it’s better that way. But once you’re done with training it’s nice to be able to grow it out again. I serve one weekend a month so in b/t that time I can grow out my hair, grow a goatee etc. Just when my weekend rolls around, I trim it down to the specified length.