Revisions to the U.S. Army’s grooming and appearance standards went into effect Wednesday that will loosen up hairstyle regulations and allow for earrings to be worn.
The new rules are proof “that the force is evolving and making a concerted effort to make everyone feel included,” Master Sgt. Quintana Mitchell, the uniform policy NCO for G-1, said in unveiling the changes last month.
Soldiers will now be allowed to have highlights in their hair as long as it appears natural.
Sgt. Maj. Brian Sanders, senior enlisted leader of Army G-1’s uniform policy branch, said that the Army “cannot assume that a Soldier’s hair should be a specific color” based on their complexion.
Neon colors and other bright pigments such as pink and green are still not allowed.
Over the past 7 months, we dedicated a team to revisiting our policies to ensure that they reflected our formations.
All of the decisions announced yesterday won't apply equally to all of our Soldiers. Our goal was to create a Standard that everyone could see themselves in. pic.twitter.com/oefMgzYJkk
— SMA Michael Grinston (@16thSMA) January 27, 2021