Ask a MIDN

You are not going to be able to do that. You as a detailer will not have the authority to order than to have their hair cut.

Nemo..if i recall correctly, prior posts suggest that you are, or were, a Midshipman, so I will not pass this statement off as simple naivety. You are absolutely correct, a Detailer cannot order a Plebe to do something that is against policy. That said, if any Plebe's hair (m or f) becomes an issue, the Detailers certainly have ways to deal with it. There would also be a significant amount of pressure from said Plebes peers, as they will also feel the Detailer's dissatisfaction. Plebe summer is not the time to be asserting individuality, or rights. Woe to the young Plebe who tries to tell their Detailer their "rights" ...lol..

Bottom line, if you are squared away and can handle the rigors of Plebe Summer with long hair...more power to you ! If you can't, or it becomes an issue, cut it voluntarily. Hair shouldn't be the hill you are willing to die on.


If my daughter is fortunate enough to get into USNA, she would like to try and keep her hair long but certainly would not let it become an issue. If it’s a problem she would be the first one in line to voluntarily cut it and wouldn’t need anyone to drag her. We are hoping she gets the chance for it to be a problem, ha! :)
 
Better yet have them shave it when you get there.

Bonus points for the male Plebe that shows up with the longest hair and/or extreme hair style. There are always a few in the crowd that wants to draw attention to themselves early.
That prompts a memory for me of my first plebe that was assigned to me as a new youngster. Pictures on his blotter showed him to have hair down past his shoulders prior to I Day. He was a pretty good plebe though. . . and did OK as a Naval Officer and retired as a three star SEAL.
 
Posting this from ‘22 (it was on the USNA site)...he is DS’s classmate. I saw him on IDay before heading in!IMG_5390.JPG
 
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So are females allowed to get a buzz cut before plebe summer? There is no minimum hair requirement? For the last like 3 years in CAP I’ve cut my hair as short as regulations allow, which is that it has to be at least one inch long and can fade to 1/4 inch on the sides and the back. But I’ve always wanted to get a buzzcut, so if I’m allowed I will. My hair is really thick and grows quickly, so even when it’s very short it’s kind of annoying to deal with since it sticks out in all directions.

https://www.usna.edu/UniformRegs/Chapter5-GroomingStandards/personal-appearance.php


Just be within those standards and you will be fine.

Ok, thank you!
 
Wow,

I got busy for a few days and came back to the great hair debate.

Most of the girls I have talked to at the academy think it's stupid they don't have to cut their hair anymore. You don't understand until you go through plebe summer that your hair will be wet all the time. Wet from sweat, swimming, and showers. It never seemed to get dry except on Sundays when we had a few hours to relax. Heck, they didn't even issue us a hairbrush so our hair was wet and knotty the whole summer. But that was part of it and it was one less thing to deal with. I think girls who keep their hair long are going to have a very hard time with it over the summer. I highly recommend that you just do the plebe chop.

As a detailer, I am going to be especially strict with my girls over hair. If they can not keep it up and neat I will take them to get it cut. They are not going to get any extra time to do time hacks just because they have long hair.
So my DD has wanted to buzz her hair for several years, and is now planning to do it for HS state swim meet, also one day before graduation! No issues w/ females and ultra short hair?
 
No,

As long as she is comfortable with it and confident about it it will go over well. Quite a few girls here have short hair. I would grow it out a bit longer than a buzz just so she still looks feminine. Just check the hair standards link that is given above. As long as you are within that it will be fine.
 
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