West Point Female Cadets

Is it true that if you aren't able to properly put your hair up in a certain amount of time in the regulated way that they chop it off??? And how can I practice? What is the 'proper' way to put up your hair?
I ask because I do NOT want to cut my hair short at all, and will do anything within my power to keep it long haha. I'm just scared I'll be so flustered I won't be able to put it up properly when they see if we can!

Thanks for any replies!
 
Is it true that if you aren't able to properly put your hair up in a certain amount of time in the regulated way that they chop it off??? And how can I practice? What is the 'proper' way to put up your hair?
I ask because I do NOT want to cut my hair short at all, and will do anything within my power to keep it long haha. I'm just scared I'll be so flustered I won't be able to put it up properly when they see if we can!
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No, they will not force you to cut your hair if you have trouble putting it up. When I went through last year, there were 2-3 enlisted females and an upperclass female who let us know what the hair standards were and offered advice on how to put our hair up. There also were bobby pins, hair ties, and hairspray in the room for those who needed them.

Plus, the station where New Cadet females put their hair up is before they are turned over to the cadet cadre, so you will not be flustered at that point.

That being said, though, figure out now how you are going to put your hair up. They may not force you to cut it off on R-Day, but being able to throw your hair in a bun quickly is something you don't want to be trying to figure out at 0500 when the cadre start banging on doors and screaming, "Get on my wall!"
 
kjang0613 said:
Is it true that if you aren't able to properly put your hair up in a certain amount of time in the regulated way that they chop it off??? And how can I practice? What is the 'proper' way to put up your hair?
I ask because I do NOT want to cut my hair short at all, and will do anything within my power to keep it long haha. I'm just scared I'll be so flustered I won't be able to put it up properly when they see if we can!

Thanks for any replies!
Click to expand...

If you can get your hands on Advance Combat Helmet, patrol cap and/or cadet headgear, put any one of these headgear on practice putting your hair up.

If you put up your hair in a bun, it can't be too high on you head as your headgear wont' fit properly
 
I have out of control curly hair - cutting it short would make the problem worse! Before I leave I am just going to get it cut short enough that it can still be twisted into a bun and no layers/bangs.

kjang, youtube could be helpful - just search military female hair or something. I use a "sock bun" product that was like $5 at CVS.
 
I am an instructor in Sea Cadets and have lots of experience helping female cadets with different hair types. At Sea Cadet basic training they are taught how to do a sock bun. But IMHO a better method is to braid your hair in a tight braid with a rubber band at the top (to keep it together and to position it at the correct height for your cover). If you do a good braid, you can braid it before you go to sleep at night to save time in the morning. Then you just twist it around and fasten it with two or three additional rubber bands. This style if done properly will stay put through PT, sweat, rain, etc. Most of my female cadets keep their hair long as it gives them a small reminder of their femininity during PT, drilling, etc. You have to practice to get the hang of it so start now. Put your hair in a bun before you run to test how well it stays up. Good luck!
 
Speaking as one who put long hair up in various braids and buns over 26 years in uniform...I can still put it up without even looking.

Google Sock Bun. Youtube pops up a number of options including this one, for military women. If you have very thick or very long hair, this might not be an option. Khaki-colored socks are good for blonde hair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIzoqMh1mfI

I found braids and twists better for PT, per kpmom2013's post. Braiding while damp but not dripping wet, with some leave-in detangler/frizz smoother, delivered a cleaner and tighter look. Twists coming back from the temple are good for controlling shorter hairs around the face.

Practice, practice, practice, especially without a mirror! Assume you can't linger at the sink, mirror or shower as you can at home; you will probably be sharing.

I had two very curly-haired friends who either had to keep their hair very short, as in a clipped close to the head, shaped style, or struggled with vast amounts of product to control the frizz and bulk. There are lots of products and techniques out there these days for "curly girls." Try googling for some websites.

Most military hair regs require accessory items such as rubber bands, clips, bobby pins and the like to be similar to hair color. Be sure you know what the regs are for wearing bangs with military covers (hats).

And did I say practice? Good luck!
 
Bunhead secret

OK, time to reveal my real secret...who else has to wear their hair in serious buns that can stand rigorous athletic activity? Dancers.

See below. These pins are way better than bobby pins. Available at online dance stores and possibly in a local dancewear store. I used a few 3'' mixed with some shorter ones.

If I wasn't doing a sock bun or a braid, I used these and no covered rubber bands. I found that if I used the rubber bands every day in the same spot, I would get hair breakage there. I would mix it up to ease the effect of traction and weight on the hair, twisting the hair, wrapping it around in a bun and using these pins. I would also change the bun location, depending on what cover I was wearing that day or for PT. Wearing the hair tightly pulled back in the same places, almost every day, for years at at time, can have some long-term effects. One of the pieces of advice I heeded from a senior woman in uniform.

http://www.bunheads.com/stage/Hairpins.html
 
kjang, practice and find what's comfortable for you! I put my hair in a sock bun. I have thick, curly hair and it works well. I'm not sure what the name of the product I use is but it was $5 or so in the hair aisle at CVS. It came with a few of the pins mentioned in the post above, I like them much better than bobby pins.
 
Thank you all very much for the advice! I will be sure to practice without a mirror :)
I am sure hair will be one of many, many worries come Beast!
 
Oops, didn't mean to post basically the same thing twice!
 
kjang0613 said:
Thank you all very much for the advice! I will be sure to practice without a mirror :)
I am sure hair will be one of many, many worries come Beast!
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On youtube, I saw the "sock bun for military girls" video and I finally got it after countless trials. I got the hang of it in a couple of days.

For anyone who is going to try the sock bun, I highly advise you to try holding down the bun with one small rubber band that will lock it in tightly with one wrap instead of numerous twists. And I personally have long hair, so just twist the rest around and under the bun and secure it with another hair tie/rubber band.
:thumb:
 
Female morale

Hi everyone and thanks for a great and informative thread so far! I know I'll be using the "sock bun" soon enough, WP or no WP. :rolleyes:

A big question: what's the emotional experience like for girls vs. boys? I know that there are a LOT fewer women then men around; can you still find a good group of gal-pals? How many girls are going to be with you in your squadron (I hope that's the right word...)?

Also, and this is a personal rather than universal question, what about faith? I'm pretty religious (my friends say I'm a total Jesus freak) and I know there's a cadet chapel, but will people get annoyed with someone for "shoving your faith in our faces?" How much time will a cadet have to spend on spirituality? Are there any spiritual opportunities other than mass? Obviously, I'm not expecting retreats or anything, but I really don't know what's out there...

Okay, last question. How common is Model UN? I know it's stupid, but Model UN is my PASSION. It has really been the funnest experience of high school. Is there time enough to handle a club with that much research at west point? And does the club travel to conferences? Would I be missing class?

Thank you :smile::smile:
 
Granuaile said:
Hi everyone and thanks for a great and informative thread so far! I know I'll be using the "sock bun" soon enough, WP or no WP. :rolleyes:

A big question: what's the emotional experience like for girls vs. boys? I know that there are a LOT fewer women then men around; can you still find a good group of gal-pals? How many girls are going to be with you in your squadron (I hope that's the right word...)?

Also, and this is a personal rather than universal question, what about faith? I'm pretty religious (my friends say I'm a total Jesus freak) and I know there's a cadet chapel, but will people get annoyed with someone for "shoving your faith in our faces?" How much time will a cadet have to spend on spirituality? Are there any spiritual opportunities other than mass? Obviously, I'm not expecting retreats or anything, but I really don't know what's out there...

Okay, last question. How common is Model UN? I know it's stupid, but Model UN is my PASSION. It has really been the funnest experience of high school. Is there time enough to handle a club with that much research at west point? And does the club travel to conferences? Would I be missing class?

Thank you :smile::smile:
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While I'm not a cadet (yet) or a girl, I can answer the model un question. West Point has a world class Model UN program run through the Social Sciences department. They go to college Model UN conferences within the U.S. and Canada and also go to international competitions. I'm hoping to join the team next year and I have a friend who is on West Point's Model UN team now. If you want more information they have a website; you can find a link on www.usma.edu under the directorate of cadet activities page.
 
Granuaile said:
Also, and this is a personal rather than universal question, what about faith? I'm pretty religious (my friends say I'm a total Jesus freak) and I know there's a cadet chapel, but will people get annoyed with someone for "shoving your faith in our faces?" How much time will a cadet have to spend on spirituality? Are there any spiritual opportunities other than mass? Obviously, I'm not expecting retreats or anything, but I really don't know what's out there...
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There are many groups to affiliate with...you will have the opportunity to visit them on club night open house after beast. My son is involved in Officer's Christian Fellowship. They have weekly meetings, small group Bible studies, and occassional retreats. There are many other groups as well, but this is the one I am familiar with. Check out the WP website for clubs and activities for an exhaustive list.
 
jake s said:
While I'm not a cadet (yet) or a girl, I can answer the model un question. West Point has a world class Model UN program run through the Social Sciences department. They go to college Model UN conferences within the U.S. and Canada and also go to international competitions. I'm hoping to join the team next year and I have a friend who is on West Point's Model UN team now. If you want more information they have a website; you can find a link on www.usma.edu under the directorate of cadet activities page.
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Found it :cool: www.dean.usma.edu/departments/sosh/modelUN/Default.htm
Thank you for replying, Jake S.

And thank you, Mom3boys! The list is HUGE and that sounds ideal.
 
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