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.
