<p>should i get the required haircut before i come? or should i let them do it?</p>
<p>They're going to shave your head anyways so the "required haircut" is going to be no hair :) So I guess its up to you. I personally wouldn't want to show up to I-day lookin like a cue ball and attracting unwanted cadre attention. ;)</p>
<p>I showed up to I day with my head shaved. I only had 6 days of summer before I inprocessed so I thought it was a good way to leave my friends back home with a party so they could shave my head. It was fun for me and it made inprocessing day go by faster. Since I didn't hae to get a haircut, I just skipped that line and was one of the first one's in my squad. It allowed me time in my room to try and figure out what I was supposed to do. I wouldn't say that I recieved extra attention on I day because everyone gets yelled at. Again, it's up to you</p>
<p>i had a party to shave mine a week or so out, so it had grown enough that they still re-cut it. i think it was nice to get used to for a little bit, and the party to shave it was a blast and a great way to see everyone one last time (i had over a month after my graduation and grad party before inprocessing)</p>
<p>if you enjoy your hair, like i do, enjoy it while u can :D</p>
<p>I used to keep my hair pretty short before I came, so it wasn't much of an issue for me. One guy came with a huge fuzz ball of hair (not really a fro, just hair sticking out in every direction), and he got extra special attention. As long as your hair isn't super long (well, for guys), you should be fine.</p>
<p>i heard that for girls, we should try and keep it in the neatest bun that we can for in-processing day because if it's one of those messy buns, they'll drag you off and cut your hair</p>
<p>that's what I heard too. But that was after I got my hair cut really short. :(</p>
<p>Sorry Viper, don't know how fast it grows, hope fast. Girls I know potter and redhead have both suggested cutting your hair is probably no a good idea. You know your hair best and if you can get it in a tight bun that's your choice.</p>
<p>the appointee info. says to have it cut before you come... but if you don't USAFA will cut it for you.</p>
<p>i believe USAFA requires it to be cut 5/32" (4mm) ... a #1.5 clip on hair clippers</p>
<p>the good thing is... all the guys will look the same</p>
<p>honestly it rly doesn't make a difference. "Extra attention" may be some yelling on the footprints, but you'll prolly get yelled at anyway, and no one will remember you later for it.</p>
<p>plus, is its long and ridiculous enough, you could make the Sijan ladies' (barbers) board of "who's this cadet", which is always funny to see ppl you know</p>
<p>OK so potter said they will take the girls aside to some hair station and make you let your hair down. Then they will make you put it in a bun in around 30 seconds. They will not indiscrimenently march you off to the barber. Both she and Redhead kept their hair. One giant red ball of curly red and the other a long stringy mess of black hair. If they can do it, you can too.</p>
<p>haha lol I am the most girl retarded in the world!! I have had my hair in a ponytail my whole life. no joke. it's the only thing I know how to do! I can't even work a bobby pin! I think I will either be using a lot of hair spray for that bun (so it will be easy to put back up) or my hair is just gonna get chopped! I'm working for the hair spray idea! :)</p>
<p>I know what you mean Viper, I cut my hair short freshman year and was going to grow it out, but I can't put it up at ALL so I am keeping it really short.</p>
<p>i was planning on shaving a "2012" on the back of my head...i am sure the cadre will love that one...</p>
<p>just kidding</p>
<p>do it! do it! :D</p>
<p>Like ds said, I definitely recommend that you ladies keep your hair if possible. You don't want it to be too terribly long, probably not past the middle of your back, but long enough to put it into a bun. The smaller the bun, the nicer it is because you're less likely to get headaches and it's easier to keep in regs. I recommend this just so that you don't have your hair in your face all during basic, which usually happens if your hair is short. And yes, you girls should come to I-day with your hair in regs! Put it in as tight a bun as possible and make sure it's at the nape of your neck, but not so low that it will touch your collar. Make sure that there are no flyaways (that includes bangs!) and that the bun doesn't stick out more than 3 inches from your head. If your hair is already in regs, they will not make you take it down and redo it. Believe me, it's never good to get shuffled into that room with a bunch of upperclass girls yelling at you and belittling you just because you wanted to keep your hair.</p>
<p>Bobby pins will be your best friend in basic! Start practicing now so that you know how to put your hair up properly and quickly in basic. My hair is really thick so I always used to have a hard time using bobby pins in my hair because they wouldn't hold and they would end up falling out. But practice makes perfect! I've figured out how to use them now so that they hold, even though my hair is really thick and unruly.</p>
<p>, if my hair is short, are my bangs going to be a problem? Are there any specific rules about that? I thought the only one was basically, neat and off of the collar.</p>
<p>Yeah there really are no rules with schort hair other than make sure that it's off your collar. I'm not even sure that the 3 inches in bulk rule applies.</p>
<p>Does the academy follow AFI 36-2903 or do they just mimic the standards?</p>