Hair Cuts (Grooming)

Beginning on Monday, August 19, ALL cadets should be within regulation with regard to hair and grooming standards.  The relevant section from the handbook is below.

 

We will have people available to provide haircuts for cadets during the day on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (August 14-16).  Dr. Durand will be getting his hair cut this week, as well!

Cadets are REQUIRED to comply with MCJROTC grooming and personal appearance standards as stipulated in AMFRA regulations and Marine Corps Order 1533.6E. Personal appearance and wearing the uniform is a significant part of a cadet's MCJROTC grade.  The grooming regulations apply to military, AMFRA and civilian attire when worn in conjunction with Academy functions. Grooming and personal appearance standards are required to be followed daily and at all AMFRA events (i.e. graduation, prom, dances, sporting events, summer camps and extracurricular activities, etc.). Cadets who refuse or repeatedly fail to adhere to the prescribed grooming and personal appearance standards will receive disciplinary action according to AMFRA discipline policy. 

1. Common Standards: All haircuts/hairstyles, for both male and female cadets will be checked every day, during inspection, and if not meeting the regulations could be grounds for disciplinary actions. 
1. Haircuts and hair styles are not permitted to be faddish or eccentric. Cuts or styles with shaved or designed portions of the scalp are not permitted. Braids and/or derivations of braids, including locks and twists, may be permitted for females only if hair is secured in accordance with the female hair regulations noted below.
2. No designs are allowed to the hair; only a natural (not shaved) part in the hair is authorized.
3. Hair must be a natural color (blonde, brown, black) and be consistent over the entire head (i.e., uniform highlighting and frosting are allowed; multi-colored patches, spots or braids are not allowed).
4. Hair extensions MUST conform to the female long hair regulations.
5. Hair styles MUST not interfere with the proper wearing of the USMC cover.
6. Shaving/slashing of eyebrows is NOT authorized and will result in disciplinary consequences.  

1. Male cadet grooming and haircut standards: 
1. Hair will be closely trimmed on the sides and back, washed and neatly combed, graduating from zero inches in length at the hairline in the lower portion of the head and ears to a maximum of 3 inches in length at the upper portion of the head; and will not extend over two inches above the scalp.  Hair must follow the contour of the head.
2. Hair cannot touch the ears. If you can pinch and hold on to hair at the neck, sideburns or ear hairline, it is too long. 
3. Hair must be faded (as opposed to Blocked). A fade is a gradual decrease in the length of hair at the top of the head to zero at the neckline and above the ears.  The fade follows the natural contour of the head. A blocked haircut refers to cutting the hair straight across in a definite line where the hairline meets the back of the neck and around the ears. It is sometimes also referred to as "squaring off" the nape. See the diagram below for the difference between faded and blocked hairline. The fade is the ONLY style of haircut allowed. The area to be faded includes the sideburns, around the ear, and across the back of the neck.

1. Sideburns will not go below the top of the ear orifice (place your index finger in your ear, your sideburns cannot go below the top of your finger).
2. Locks, twists, sculpting, spiking of hair or excessive directional flow change is not authorized.
3. Male cadets will be clean-shaven daily. Mustaches are the only facial hair authorized for male cadets. Mustaches must be trimmed so that the hair does not fall below the top edge of the upper lip and does not extend past the corners of the mouth.  Beards of any kind are NOT authorized.  
4. Cadets with a facial skin condition may be temporarily allowed to not shave after first turning in a doctor’s note to their MI.  The doctor’s note must state the skin condition, treatment plan and expiration.  Re-evaluations to maintain the “no shave chit” will be required. When allowed a No Shave Chit, you must keep the facial hair neatly trimmed as close to the skin as the medical condition permits; stubble may be allowed, beards are still NOT permitted.             

1. Female cadet grooming and hairstyle standards:
1. Female hairstyles must be neat, professional, conservative and symmetrical (no side buns, etc.) in appearance and must not interfere with the proper wearing of uniform headgear.
2. Faddish, eccentric or exaggerated hairstyles are not authorized for wear in uniform.  Examples include, but are not limited to hair designs or sculpting (i.e., eccentric directional flow, abrupt difference in length, shaved portions, severe angles or spiking, etc.), buns with loose hair protruding and any hair styles that are not neat and professional.
3. Hair must not fall beyond 2 inches below the bottom edge of the collar in the back nor cover rank insignia in the front.
4. Bangs, if worn, MAY NOT FALL INTO THE LINE OF SIGHT, may not interfere with wearing of headgear, and must lie neatly against the head.  
5. A zero fade is allowed, but can only extend a maximum of two inches up from the hairline (you cannot shave the side of your head).  
6. If used, inconspicuous hairpins, barrettes, combs, etc. are authorized ONLY if consistent with the hair color and concealed by the hair. Plain ponytail holders will be consistent with the hair color and need not be concealed.  Headbands, scrunchies, alligator clips, bows, glitter, etc. are conspicuous and not authorized in the MARPAT uniform.
7. Female Cadet Hair Styles. There are three hairstyles; short, medium and long.  Standards specific to each style are included below.
8. SHORT HAIR; does not extend past the uniform collar, extends no more than 1 inch from the scalp, may be NO SHORTER than 1/4 inch, and must be evenly graduated.  
9. MEDIUM HAIR; does not extend beyond 2 inches below the bottom of the uniform collar and does not cover the rank insignia in the front.  Medium length hair may be worn down in an unsecured manner or in an approved style; half-ponytail/puff or half-braids.  
10. LONG HAIR; naturally extends beyond 2 inches below the collar's bottom edge. Long hair MUST be secured up (where all hair is neatly bound together and no portion is left to fall naturally, be loose, or have exposed ends) neatly so that no part extends beyond 2 inches below the bottom edge of the collar’s lower edge or covers rank insignia. While secured up, no portion of the hair may extend more than 3 inches from the scalp and shall be no wider than the width of the head.

1. Jewelry: Female Cadets are NOT authorized to wear earrings or spacers in the MCJROTC utility uniform. Males are NEVER ALLOWED to wear earrings or spacers in any uniforms. Females are authorized to wear earrings (no larger than 1/4 of an inch in diameter, one on each ear lobe) in the AMFRA uniform. Cadets are not authorized to wear facial or body piercings (retainers and spacers are not permitted). Necklaces are allowed, but may not be visible above or around the neck in the military uniforms and must be underneath the AMFRA Uniform Polo shirt.  Watches, either digital or sweep-hand are authorized and must be inconspicuous; not overly large and may be brown, black, tan, gold or silver. In the MCJROTC uniforms, decorative bracelets are not allowed; medical alert and one MIA/POW/Honor bracelet are.  One ring on each hand is allowed, but not to be worn on the thumb. In the MCJROTC uniforms, decorative hair accessories are NOT authorized. 
2. Finger Nails and Nail Polish: Female cadets’ fingernails may be NO LONGER THAN ¼ INCH FROM THE TIP OF THE FINGER.  Female cadets may wear clear nail polish, a French/American manicure, or polish within the red spectrum (to include ranges in between pinks - burgundies) with the AMFRA uniform and service uniform. In the utility uniform, females may wear a French/American manicure; with colors ranging between clear - flesh/nude. The white nail tips must mimic the natural curve of the nail and not create a wedge or ‘V’ shape.  Colors not noted above and jewelry are NOT authorized. Male cadets must have neatly trimmed, short nails that do not extend past the finger tip.
3. Make up; must be conservative in nature/style and must compliment the individual’s complexion.  It will not be exaggerated, eccentric, faddish or contain sparkles/glitter, etc.  Clear lipstick or conservative, light shades of pink - burgundy may be worn in any uniform. If used, lip liner must be the EXACT same color as the lipstick.  False eyelashes are allowed so long as they are natural in appearance and do not touch the eyebrows.
4. Contact Lenses; contact lenses must imitate natural eye shape and color (i.e. the iris). Sunglasses, whether prescription or not, are not allowed indoors and while in formation.