<p>Do female cadets have to cut their hair when they get to the academy? Or is it fine if it is a few inches below their shoulders and can go neatly into a bun?</p>
<p>No,you can have it any length as long as you can get it up in a neat bun. Personally, I hate to see girls cut their long beautiful hair just for basic.</p>
<p>It cannot be over 3 inches in bulk or go below the bottom of the collar (if worn down). Also, it cannot interfere with proper wear of headgear...so says the BCT book.</p>
<p>so which one of you is right?</p>
<p>Those are the regs, but as long as it is worn up, it can be pretty long. Three inches in bulk can go a long way.</p>
<p>We both are. There is no length requirement as long as you can stay within the regs.</p>
<p>Oh, got it. I think I misread one of the posts. Thank you.</p>
<p>Don't cut your hair! I saw a lot of girls who thought they had to get their hair cut on inprocessing, I felt so bad for them. I would recommend your hair can go into a neat bun though, my hair is down the middle of my back, and I can still fit it in regs. The only problem is during basic there is very little time to wash your hair, showers are less than a minute long.</p>
<p>All the girls in my FLT in BCT got an odd red rash on their necks at their hairline (the ones with long hair) because they didn't get their hair cut short. One still has it. It looks like a small path of boils.</p>
<p>Was the rash from wearing their hair up, or was it from their covers scrapping against the back of their necks?
respectfully,
usnahopeful</p>
<p>I'm not sure what it was from, but a lot of girls got it, including me. I think it was from being sweaty all the time and not being able to wash our hair thouroughly, it could have also been because our hair was pulled back really tight so we didn't have any fly away hair. I think it is gone for most girls now though.</p>
<p>The girls told me the female cadre told them it was because they couldn't wash their hair well, so dirt and such accumilates (sp?). I don't know about pulling it tight, the girl I know only has it on one side now. But then, I'm not a girl and can't speak from experience.</p>
<p>It sounds like you would get those boil things even if you had short hair. It also sounds like basic is going to be a humbling experience in every sense of the word. You get broken down, and you look gross doing it. Although I'm sure that is the last thing on your mind when you're there. ;) Who said cleanliness is next to godliness?</p>
<p>ya, cleanliness...or looking bad, don't notice at all. Honestly, I wasn't broken down. Sure they could break me physically, but I never had my spirit broken. I had a different perspective, so nothing really got on my nerves. Depends on your character or personality. Some people can't take the orders and yelling, I just let it go in one ear and out the other, just took the message that was needed. And, having only 7 responses is very nice. Helps prevent stumbling and stuttering, just yell one of the 7 back at them. I had fun screaming back at teh cadre, little pleasures.</p>
<p>You know, my new liasion officer told me to expect to get picked on during basic because I have curly red hair, but I didn't mind it at seminar. In fact, I thought it was kind of funny. If cadre picked on you more than others, it was obvious that they liked you. As far as the 7 basic responses go, I thought it was hilarious trying to use them all the time. One cadet asked me if my hair was natural and I said "yes, sir" and then he told me it was pretty and all I could think to say was "no excuse, sir"... Everyone in my element was laughing listening to our conversation because with some of the things he would ask or say, none of the 7 basic responses made sense. It's little things like that that I am expecting will make basic and four degree year not so hard to live with. ;)</p>
<p>That's the best attitude to have here....</p>
<p>ya, redhead, if you keep that up you'll make BCT a semi-good time.</p>
<p>as for responses, this is how to do it:
all why questions (even now): no excuse, sir/ma'am
all other questions: yes sir, no sir, sir I do not know, sir I do not understand, sir the answer is: ....
all when questions:
sir the answer is: never.</p>
<p>but, have some fun. We started adding strange intonations. Confused them so much, and they called us retarded for us while laughing.</p>
<p>I want to figure out how to have some fun and let a LITTLE personality show through without crossing the line and sounding like a smart-aleck. I will need to remember that I'm there to be a part of the ranks, and thus give up a little individuality.</p>
<p>I am looking forward to the yelling, push ups, flutter kicks, running, etc. I thought it was a blast at seminar, even though doolie day wasn't completely accurate. I don't have a problem with sleep deprivation. I thought waking up early and calling minutes in the hallways was the best. I love the military. I'm sure it feels different when that's actually your life, but I can't wait.</p>
<p>The best time to be funny is during meals. Imagine a guy trying to sing "Please pass the DEEP ROCK natural artesian drinking water since 1986" like he was an opera singer...or to the Star Wars theme...</p>
<p>It is really good to come up with strange answers (that still make sense) when someone asks you what would normally be a yes/no question. I heard of one guy, during basic, who was asked "Your boots look awefull. Did you shine your boots with a chocolate bar?" He came back with, "Sir, may I make a statement? Sir, chocolate bars are contraband!"</p>