A Soldier applies face camouflage paint in the field A Soldier applies face camouflage paint in the field

Hair & Appearance Guidelines

There are certain physical presentation requirements every Soldier must follow. Read below for more details.

A female Soldier in uniform stands at attention outdoors A female Soldier in uniform stands at attention outdoors

Modern Guidelines

Serving in the Army requires a well-groomed and professional appearance. The Army strives to be as inclusive as possible while making sure every Soldier can perform their duties as safely as possible. Appearance regulations are considerate of religious beliefs and many forms of cultural expression.

Haircuts & Hairstyles

Policies for Women

  • Women in the Army do not have to cut their hair
  • Completely shaved or closely-shaved hair (may be tapered in appearance and if hair doesn’t part naturally, a straight part may be cut in)
  • Short or medium length hair (not extending beyond the lower edge of the collar when standing up straight, in uniform)
  • Hair may be worn in a ponytail or braid (must not interfere with the ability to wear authorized headgear)
  • Long hair worn neatly pinned above the lower edge of the collar
  • Long hair accessories used to secure your hair that aren’t distracting or decorative
  • Black rubber bands, rubber bands that match your hair color, and plain hair accessories used to secure your hair that aren’t distracting or decorative
  • Hair extensions that have the same general appearance as natural hair
  • Hair highlights with natural colors that blend together in a subtle and natural way
  • Hair dyes, tints, or bleaches that match a natural hair color
  • Wigs that look natural (may not be used to cover unauthorized hairstyles)
  • Hair worn in multiple styles, such as braided twists or locs with a side twist to secure hair, as long as style is neat in appearance and doesn’t impact proper wear of headgear

Not Permitted for Women

  • Hair that interferes with the ability to wear headgear or protective equipment
  • Dyes, tints, or bleaches that do not match a natural hair color
  • Steel hair picks
  • Trendy and exaggerated hairstyles, including shaved portions of the scalp or designs cut into your hair
  • Loose hair (while in uniform)
  • Extreme or dramatic updo styles (while in uniform)

Policies for Men

  • Completely shaved or closely-trimmed hair (if hair does not part naturally, you may cut a straight part into the hair or style the hair with one part)
  • Sideburns that don’t extend below the bottom opening of the ear
  • Hair highlights with natural colors that blend together in a subtle and natural way
  • Hair dyes, tints, or bleaches that match a natural hair color
  • Wigs or hairpieces used to cover natural baldness or disfiguration

Not Permitted for Men

  • Braids, cornrows, twists, or locs (while in uniform or in civilian clothes on duty)
  • Shaved designs cut into hair or scalp
  • Styled sideburns that taper, flare, or come to a point

A male Soldier in uniform receives a medal at an outdoor pinning ceremony A male Soldier in uniform receives a medal at an outdoor pinning ceremony

Facial hair

  • Facial hair must be clean-shaven (while in uniform or on duty)
  • Mustaches must be neatly trimmed, tapered, and tidy
  • Well-groomed beards may be worn for religious reasons

A female Soldier does push-ups while wearing a hair-covering garment A female Soldier does push-ups while wearing a hair-covering garment

Religious garments (hijabs, turbans, kippot)

  • Religious headgear may be worn in solid, subdued colors that closely resemble assigned uniforms (generally black, brown, green, tan, or navy blue)
  • Soldiers wearing a combat uniform may wear a hijab, turban, or under-turban in a matching camouflage pattern
  • Hair worn under the turban is not subject to general standards, but may not fall over the ears or eyebrows or touch the collar while in uniform

Eyeglasses, sunglasses, & contact lenses

Permitted

  • Conservative prescription eyeglasses
  • Prescription contact lenses (except when health or safety considerations apply)
  • Conservative prescription and non-prescription sunglasses while working in a garrison (non-field) environment, except while indoors
  • Sunglasses worn for medical reasons, other than refractive error (except when health or safety considerations apply)
  • Eyeglass restraints (including bands) when required for safety purposes
  • Ballistic spectacle eye protection issued by the Army

Not Permitted

  • Eyeglasses or sunglasses with distracting initials or designs
  • Sunglasses with lenses in distracting colors such as red, yellow, blue, purple, or orange
  • Sunglasses that are so large or so small that they detract from the head while in uniform
  • Chains or ribbons attached to eyeglasses
  • Eyeglasses or sunglasses worn on top of the head while in uniform
  • Tinted or colored contact lenses (while in uniform), unless prescribed for eye injuries
  • Clear contact lenses that have designs on them that change the contour of the iris (while in uniform)

Soldier jumping Soldier jumping

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Jewelry

Permitted

  • Religious apparel, articles, or jewelry may be worn with the uniform, including the physical fitness uniform
  • One item on each wrist (like a watch, activity tracker, pedometer heart rate monitor, medical or religious bracelet)
  • Rings (no more than two)
  • Conservative stud earrings may be worn by women in all uniforms

Not Permitted

  • Earrings worn by men (while on duty)
  • Attaching or displaying objects, jewelry, or ornamentation under the skin, tongue, or any other body part

Tattoos

You can have tattoos almost anywhere on your body, with a few exceptions.

Permitted

  • Entire Body: You can have as many tattoos as you like, as long as they follow the rest of the permitted and not permitted policies
  • Hands: You can have one visible tattoo on each hand (including the palm), no bigger than one inch long in any direction; any number of tattoos between the fingers as long as they’re not visible when the fingers are closed; and one ring tattoo on each hand
  • Neck: You can have one tattoo on the back of the neck, no bigger than two inches long in any direction
  • Behind Ears: You can have one tattoo behind each ear, no bigger than one inch long in any direction and not extending in front of the ear lobe

Not Permitted

  • You can’t have any tattoos that are extremist, racist, sexist, or indecent anywhere on the body without exception
  • You can’t have tattoos on the head or face (except for approved permanent makeup) including those on the eyelids (inside or outside), mouth, and ears

Two female Soldiers in uniform hug in reunion Two female Soldiers in uniform hug in reunion

Nails

  • Women must keep nails no longer than 1/4 inch as measured from the tip of the finger
  • Women may wear nude and natural nail polish shades, such as light pink
  • Women may have square or rounded nails but pointed or exaggerated nail shapes such as ballerina, stiletto, arrow, and coffin are not permitted
  • Men must keep nails trimmed (not exceeding beyond the fingertip)
  • Men may wear clear nail polish

Female Soldier in uniform receives an honor during a ceremony Female Soldier in uniform receives an honor during a ceremony

Lipstick

  • Women may wear natural shades of solid lipstick or tinted lip gloss
  • Women may wear lip liner, but only with a matching shade of lipstick

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Questions you may have right now

Who will reach out to me?

One of our recruiters will either call or email you to set up time to talk.

Who will reach out to me?

One of our ROTC recruiters will either call or email you to set up time to talk.

What will you ask me?

Our conversation will likely begin with some basic qualifying questions, like your age and education level. From there, the conversation will be about getting to know you and your goals for the future. Expect us to ask about your interests and skills so we can suggest Army jobs that might interest you.

How can I prepare for the conversation?

While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:

How can the Army help me pay for college?

Do I have to go to Basic Training?

How can I prepare for the conversation?

While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:

How can the Army help me pay for college?

What is the time commitment for part-time service?

How can I prepare for the conversation?

While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:

Can the Army help me pay for medical school?

Do I have to go to Basic Training?

How can I prepare for the conversation?

While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:

How do I apply for ROTC scholarships?

How do I join ROTC at the college I want to attend?

Will I be expected to join if I talk to someone?

No. Our goal is to answer your questions and help you decide if the Army is a good option for you. We understand you may not be ready to join yet, or that we may not be the right fit, and that's fine. There's no obligation for talking to us.

Thanks for reaching out,

Here's What Happens Next

  1. You'll receive an email confirming your request

  2. We'll provide additional information about next steps

  3. You'll work with us to decide whether the Army is right for you

Questions you may have right now

Who will reach out to me?

One of our recruiters will either call or email you to set up time to talk.

What will you ask me?

Our conversation will likely begin with some basic qualifying questions, like your age and education level. From there, the conversation will be about getting to know you and your goals for the future. Expect us to ask about your interests and skills so we can suggest Army jobs that might interest you.

How can I prepare for the conversation?

While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:

Do I qualify to join the Army?

Can I join as an Officer?

How can I prepare for the conversation?

While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:

Do I qualify to join the Army?

Can I join as an Officer?

How can I prepare for the conversation?

While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:

What type of health care jobs are available in the Army?

Can the Army help me pay for medical school?

How can I prepare for the conversation?

While we'll ask you questions, this is your opportunity to ask some of your own. Here are a couple to get you started:

Can I join ROTC at my age

Can I join as an Officer?

Will I be expected to join if I talk to someone?

No. Our goal is to answer your questions and help you decide if the Army is a good option for you. We understand you may not be ready to join yet, or that we may not be the right fit, and that's fine. There's no obligation for talking to us.

Thanks for reaching out, .

We admire you for considering such a big career decision at your age. Unfortunately, we're unable to directly reach out to you until you are at least sixteen years old and a junior in high school. However, the following ROTC info is something that may interest you now.

Questions you may have right now

How old do I have to be to serve in the Army full-time?

To become an enlisted Soldier, you must be 17 years old. To become an Army Officer, you must be at least 18 years old and have a college degree obtained either through ROTC, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, or from another college or university program. Learn more about Army Eligibility Requirements and how to receive Officer training while in college.

How can the Army help me pay for college?

There are a variety of options available to help you pursue education with flexibility, such as ROTC programs, the GI Bill, and other programs that help pay for college tuition, trade school, technical school, or trainings. View all of the Education Benefits available to you

How do I apply for ROTC Scholarships?

Army ROTC has several scholarships available for college-bound high school students. Review your options at ROTC Scholarships, or immediately apply by creating an account at my.goarmy.com to get started.

How old do I have to be to serve in the Army part-time?

To become an enlisted Soldier, you must be 17 years old. To become an Army Officer, you must be at least 18 years old and have a college degree obtained either through ROTC, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, or from another college or university program. Learn more about Army Eligibility Requirements and how to receive Officer training while in college.

What are the ways to serve part-time?

You can serve part-time as a Soldier in the Army Reserve or the Army National Guard. By serving part-time, you are able to continue your college education or work a civilian job, while earning an extra paycheck and maintaining many of the benefits of military service.

How can the Army help me pay for college?

There are a variety of options available to help you pursue education with flexibility, such as ROTC programs, the GI Bill, and other programs that help pay for college tuition, trade school, technical school, or trainings. View all of the Education Benefits available to you.

How do I become a health care provider in the Army?

You can serve part-time or full-time as you train in our health care program. Upon graduation of the program, you will enter the Army health care team as a Commissioned Officer.

What types of medical careers are available in the Army?

There are numerous health care careers available through the Army Medical Education Deparment (AMEDD), including physicians, dentists, nurses, veterinarians, and many more. View your career options.

How can the Army help me pay for college?

There are a variety of options available to help you pursue education with flexibility, such as ROTC programs, the GI Bill, and other programs that help pay for college tuition, trade school, technical school, or trainings. View all of the Education Benefits available to you.

What are the benefits of joining ROTC?

ROTC makes it possible to achieve your ambitions. Become a leader and serve your country in one of the nation's top leadership training programs. You can do this while maintaining your college curriculum and earning up to 100% tuition coverage. Upon graduation, you're guaranteed a career as an Army Officer.

How do I prepare to join ROTC?

When you're at least 16 years old and at least a high school junior, you can reach out to us, or even talk to your high school counselor. Together, we'll talk options and decide if ROTC is the right path for you.

Will I become an Officer if I complete ROTC?

Yes. After graduation, you are commissioned as a highly respected second lieutenant in the Army, entrusted with leading other Soldiers.

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