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Black Female Troops Disapprove Of Army's AR 670-1 Regulations ...

Posted: 02 Apr 2014 02:43 AM PDT

The U.S. Army is being criticized for new regulations released on Monday. Army Regulation 670-1 consists of new rules on uniforms, grooming, hairstyles, and tattoos.

Thousands of soldiers are questioning the new hairstyle rules, which are only applicable to women. Some soldiers are also saying that the new rules are racially biased, target black women's hair, and has a "lack of regard for ethnic hair."

The regulations prohibit hairstyles with braids or cornrows that are wider than quarter of an inch. Dreadlocks and twists have also been banned. Women in the Army who are sporting these hairstyles must now find a way to cover them up with extensions or wigs, or get rid of them completely.

Sgt. Jasmine Jacobs from the Georgia National Guard has launched a White House petition that requests the President to reconsider the new regulations and "allow professional ethnic hairstyles" in the Army. The petition has already reached 100,000 signatures, which is enough to garner a reply from the White House.

Jacobs also mentioned in an Army Times interview that twists are one of the most popular hairstyles for black female soldiers, since it is low maintenance and easy to manage in the field. Jacob also wears her hair in twists and said that it has never been an obstruction to her headgear.

Pentagon's Army representative Lt. Col. S. Justin Platt said that the new regulations are necessary in order to preserve uniformity among the soldiers. In addition, he also said that plenty of hairstyles can be worn, as long as they are conservative and neat.

Paul Prince, an Army spokesperson, said that dreadlocks and twists have been prohibited since 2005. The new regulations just provide more details on what exactly is not allowed.

Jacobs said that before the regulations, women had more options, but they were still able to keep a professional appearance.

An Army veteran, who wishes to remain anonymous, said that most black soldiers choose to wear their hair naturally and they do not have the means to straighten their hair, especially when they are deployed. "When you're in Iraq, these hairstyles serve the purpose to protect you," she said.

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Black Female Troops Disapprove Of Army's AR 670-1 Regulations For Hairstyles April 2, 2014

Black Female Lawmakers Object To Army's 'Discriminatory' Ban On ...

Posted: 11 Apr 2014 11:30 AM PDT

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Not everyone is feeling the Army's new hair ban, which some say targets the various hair styles worn by African-American women. Now member of the Congressional Black Caucus have taken issue with the ban as well.

16 women in the Congressional Black Caucus sent Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel a letter expressing their objection to the Army's Regulation 670-1, which highlights new rules in regards to tattoos, hairstyles, uniforms and grooming.

The new rules in regards to hair bans twists, dreadlocks, multiple braids and cornrows that are bigger than a quarter of an inch. Army spokesman Paul Prince told the Army Times that twists and dreadlocks have been barred since 2005, but these regulations go into more detail about specific hairstyles.

Here's the letter from the women of the CBC:

Though we understand the intent of the updated regulation is to ensure uniformity in our military, it is seen as discriminatory rules targeting soldiers who are women of color with little regard to what is needed to maintain their natural hair.

African American women have often been required to meet unreasonable norms as it relates to acceptable standards of grooming in the workplace. [...]

Army officials have responded to criticism of the regulation by saying it applies to all soldiers regardless of race, and that they are meant to protect their safety. However the use of words like "unkempt" and "matted" when referring to traditional hairstyles worn by women of color are offensive and biased. The assumption that individuals wearing these hairstyles cannot maintain them in a way that meets the professionalism of Army standards indicates a lack of cultural sensitivity conducive to creating a tolerant environment for minorities.

The letter was signed by Reps. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Corrine Brown (D-Fla.), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Donna Edwards (D-Md.), Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) and Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), as well as Delegates Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and Donna Christensen (D-V.I.).

The Army has not released a statement, but previously said the rules were drawn up after surveying hundreds of senior enlisted female soldiers as part of a focus group led by a female sergeant major.

In regards to the new rules, Sgt. Jasmine Jacobs of the Georgia National Guard started a petition on the White House website calling on the Army to "allow professional ethnic hairstyles." It currently has about 15,000 signatures.

Jacobs also told the Army Times that twists are a popular style, especially in the field because they're easy to take care of.

"I've been in the military six years, I've had my hair natural four years, and it's never been out of regulation. It's never interfered with my head gear," added Jacobs, who wears her hair in two twists.

Although some people are of the notion that when you join the Army, you become "theirs and you do as they say", others feel as though if you're willing to die for a country and go to battle, the least of their worries should be if your twists are not under regulation.

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