Armed Forces News

Effective July 1, the tradition of cutting all women’s hair in layers above the collar when they first arrive at the Air Force Academy will change. Appointees arriving on inprocessing day with their hair already meeting Air Force standards will not need to get a haircut. Women whose hair doesn’t meet Air Force standards will be taught how to wear their hair, just as they are taught how to wear a uniform. The new policy states that academy officials will be present on inprocessing day to train cadets on Air Force standards. Women unable to meet them will receive a single-length, chin-length cut. The decision to change the policy was made when some academy officials said that female cadets did not “look” professional. After research, officials found that the Air Force Academy differed from all other military academies.