You have probably noticed that most of the soldiers have shaved heads or very short-length hair in the military. They do not have different hair cuts & all army men look the same. So, why do they shave your head in the military?
There are actually both psychological & practical reasons for shaving heads in the military. It includes reducing the chances of disease, eliminating chances of being grabbed by the enemy from hair, promoting team spirit, improving sanitation, and getting ready quickly. Let's get to know more about this topic!
Why do they shave your head in the military?
For decades Militaries of various nations have been making the new recruits & soldiers shave their heads. It has become a rule now for the new recruits to shave their heads off in almost all the militaries in the world. This has various psychological & practical reasons behind it, which include:
Practical Reasons:
- Shaving the head reduces the chances of diseases among recruits from different geographical areas like head lice.
- It prevents an enemy from grabbing the long hair & slashing the soldier's neck.
- The shaven or extra short hair promotes cleanliness as dirt & grime are involved in soldiers' work, so long hair can catch & retain them more easily.
- It promotes easiness in getting ready. The soldier does not need to comb & waste their time.
Psychological Reasons:
- It promotes a sense of team spirit among new recruits.
- This is also a way of showing the transition from civilian to military personnel.
- All men shaving their heads promotes a sense of equality. It eliminates the difference of class, caste, religion, or anything else.
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Do female soldiers have shaved their heads?
No, females don't need to shave their heads, and there can be various reasons behind that. However, in the induction program, women's hair is trimmed to chin length. But after that, mostly women military personnel are allowed to keep their hair.
Here are some of the reasons behind it:
- Some believe that men should look like men & women should look like women. This was no need to cut hair for women.
- Some believe that shorter hair came during World War 1 when lice spread from one soldier to another. That's why the rule of shaving hair came. But in the modern world, women need not shave their heads,
- Women can keep their hair due to conservative social norms.
In some military schools like Ranger School, women need to shave their heads. So all women are not allowed to shave their heads.
Moreover, when military women put on the helmet, their hair does not become an issue & goes on back. So even in one-to-one combat, this hair will not cause any problem.
Do you have to shave your head in the air force?
No, there is no need to shave head in the air force when the training is completed & one becomes proper military personnel. However, during training, the head is shaved as it is done in the military.
You need to get the hair cut according to some air force standards in the air force, but there is no need to shave the head. Moreover, one is allowed to have a mustache. Women are also entitled to have ponytails in the air force.
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Do you have to shave your head when you join the Marines?
As a recruit, you have to get the hair cut to a very short length. This is done to wear the headgear easily. But when the recruits complete their training & become Marines, then they don't need to shave their hair & can have a haircut.
Even the haircut needs to be according to the Marines' rules.
Bottom Line
This was all about hair shaving rules in different defense units. We hope you got all the information you sought. Please let us know your thoughts & recommendations in the comments below!
Thank you for reading!
