Update 08/27/09: It was brought to my understanding that the main reason why locs aren’t allowed is because many of the sizes worn are too thick for head gear, so for the most part, it’s for more of a safety issue and safety should always come first. Also, while there has been discrimination towards those with natural afro hair in the military, not all naturals in the military have faced this type of discrimination and it’s not an overall representation of the military, but of certain military personnel.
For years, the military had no problem with showing the black people who serve them that they had a 
problem with common, natural afro hairstyles. Black females in particular were given slack for wearing small, clean-cut afros. The ones who wear locs weren’t shown much mercy either, as many of them were forced to cut them off.
When coming across this blog, it was bought to my attention that the military is at it again. This is the message that was sent to her from one of her readers:
Greetings Sister Karen:
I am one of your biggest fans. I have been following your website and blog for months. Thank you for this great avenue for women of color to share their thoughts and celebrate their natural hair. I was hoping that you can share this link below to friends of your blog/website One of my close friends who is in the US Air Force is being forced to chop her locks and relax her hair. We are asking everyone we know to sign this petition and also send a letter to your state representatives. Here is a brief synopsis of the matter at hand. Please share with everyone you know. Thank you in advance for your support!
It has come to my attention that the United States Air Force has a regulation, AFI36-2903 DRESS AND PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF AIR FORCE PERSONNEL, which in part, discriminates against African-American women serving in the Air Force. The code was recently updated to include a bans on a common natural African-American hairstyle, which the Air Force has called “dreadlocks”. Female personnel with neat, clean, professional well-kept hair are being forced to choose between cutting their hair and treating it with chemicals to conform with this regulation which I feel unfairly and unnecessarily discriminates against African-Americans. The regulation itself does not define “dreadlocks”. This leaves women with hair that is in no means a distraction or a detriment to their duties, subject to disciplinary action.
Please pass this information along to as many people as possible. Also, if you’re a blogger, you can blog about it as well. We have voices; let the military hear it loud and clear. Afros and locs are apart of who we are. If we don’t speak out about it, they’re going to continue seeing our hair as some sort of an oddity, and it’s going to be hard for everyone to proudly rock their natural hair and serve in the military in peace. If they know that they can use you, and force you to alter yourself without having to worry about getting a backlash from it, they will keep doing it. Don’t allow it to go on without a fight.
If you have a strong love for your natural hair and you’re the type of person who refuses to change it for anyone other than yourself, it would be best not to join the military. It’s just not worth it. The military needs you more than you need them, and they should accept you for who you are.
Make sure the sign the petition by going here.
Tags: afro, Ignorance, Locs, military, natural hair, US Air Force
[...] Discrimination in a Military « Hair! | Afro Glitz Magazine [...]
Wow, this violation of equal rights really caught my attention. How can the military force african american women to relax their hair? In 1978 I was a private in the United States Marine Corps. I did not relax my hair because it had never been introduced to me by my mother. She was not a natural queen and often wore wigs, relaxers and as we were young tortured us with the pressing comb. However, by the time we reached high school my sister and I were sporting huge beautiful afros!
While going through boot camp I was subject to abuse about the size of my afro. They made comments that the hair sticking out around the cover (hat) looked similar to bozo the clown but I was never forced to relax and my boot camp photo shows a proud USMC Woman with a modest but definately natural afro. Why are we going backward in the movement?
I am going into the Navy next month. I understand that safety comes first but I also feel like if we don’t put a stop to discrimination now then its simply going to continue. We may all be in different branches and may have different forms of hair but if we as African American women don’t stand up for one another we’re simply going to continue to be discriminated against. We have to take a stand at something. I signed the petition, I hope something happens with it. Lets get it going ladies.
I am scheduled to attend officier trainining this month. I was told my locks would not be a problem. The person who interviewed me had kinky twist and stated as long as my hair was neat it was okay. We all know what the regs state. I am afraid if I attend with my hair as is they will cut all my hair off. I comb out one lock it took 45 minutes and lost a bunch of hair. Even though it is hair that would have been lost, I am quite disturbed and desperately seeking a way not having to conform