I never thought about it either until someone mentioned it to me. I had always assumed "fair fights" and bullet warfare, but then I was enlightened on how utterly brutal combat actually is. There is no such thing as fighting like a girl, there is only winning no matter what it takes to survive. Poke the eyes, pull the hair, kick the nuts, these are all no-no's in sportsmanship.
But war is not a sport.
I never thought about it either until someone mentioned it to me. I had always assumed "fair fights" and bullet warfare, but then I was enlightened on how utterly brutal combat actually is. There is no such thing as fighting like a girl, there is only winning no matter what it takes to survive. Poke the eyes, pull the hair, kick the nuts, these are all no-no's in sportsmanship.
But war is not a sport.
So is it was just a matter of the Navy ruling hair had to be cut close in order for gas masks to seal properly? I can understand that. So it turns out long hair really doesn't matter other than that?
So is it was just a matter of the Navy ruling hair had to be cut close in order for gas masks to seal properly? I can understand that. So it turns out long hair really doesn't matter other than that?
The Germans tried long hair in the 70s. Hygiene was also an issue.
The Germans tried long hair in the 70s. Hygiene was also an issue.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/the-german-hair-force-a-failed-experiment-in-military-manes-a-744992.html
Keeping a clean shave and a uniform look throughout the military is for two important reasons. Long hair can be used against you in close quarters, such as being pulled by an assailant or getting stuck on objects. It also helps the groupthink conditioning that soldiers go through in order to work as a unit better. Having different hairstyles or anything else that "humanizes" the ranks causes a disruption.
I'm not military, so I probably have no say here. It just seems like these two points are common sense but correct me if I'm wrong. Perhaps it boosts morale?