In January, the Air Force changed grooming standards for female troops to allow ponytails and braids rather than buns alone. The Army followed suit a few months later, announcing that it is also eliminating from policy guidance words like “eccentric” and “faddish,” which often targeted women of color.
“This really goes back to a larger thing – diversity and inclusion,” Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston said. “Are these microaggressions, those things that we were saying that maybe we didn’t know were offensive? Maybe we need to be aware of that.”
Why We Wrote This
What may seem like a superficial change in grooming standards signals a sea change in attitudes about military strength.