Expert: Matt - 5/22/2009

Question
Hi!  I Have Dreads.    "Dreadlocks"   I Have Been Commited To Them For two Years Now. I Have Been COMMITED to having them. But I Have Always Wished To Join A Branch Of The Army In Which I Can Serve My Country. But If I Cant Serve Without Having To Cut My Hair. I Wont.   Why Is The Army So No Go About Dreads. Why So Picky?

Answer
It's a matter of hygeine when in the field and even moreso a matter of safety. If you have long hair, especially dreads, it can easily get caught in moving parts of machinery (ie machine gun chamber, tank tread, helicopter blades) none of which exaclty sound like a good time. Additionally, long hair gives your enemy one more thing to grab onto when in close quarters combat...once again not a situation you would want to be in. Hope this sheds some light on the situation.