Apparently the Navy did not get the memo, but then again, nobody said this battle was going to be an easy one. The Navy has been holding out, and if you ask me they made an example of the woman in this story.
In any battle we might lose a soldier (figuratively) and so as we try to make natural hair including locs normal and within standard, we might get a few battle wounds. Navy officials announced a decision to let go a woman who had been an African American Sailor for 12 years for not obeying an order to cut her hair.
On Thursday Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Jessica Sims told the Navy Times that she will be honorably discharged from Recruit Training Command Great Lakes Illinois after refusing to cut her locs.
According to the Times:
The Navy confirmed her administrative separation proceedings on the basis of her hair, which she has been wearing in small, tightly wound dreadlocks twisted into a bun since 2005,”
Just a week ago we told you that the Military made some strides to changing its rules allowing styles like cornrows, hanging braids within a certain length, and two-strand twists.
Here is what is crazy about this story, and how I know people like to make their own rules. Sims did not just become part of the Navy this week, last year, or even two years ago. She has been working within her field for over 11 years, so how is her hair a problem now? The Times confirms it in this statement:
“Before her move to boot camp, she had spent seven years as an instructor at Naval Medicine Training Support Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, The Basic School at Quantico, Virginia, and Field Medical Service School at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina,” Navy Times reports. Shortly after she got to Great Lakes in April, Sims chain of command ordered her to cut her hair.
Help me to understand this action? Are the rules based on the place you are stationed in, or individual feelings? Does it mean that if I am in the Navy and my chain of command accepts my hair then I get to stay, and if he or she doesn’t, then I get kicked out?
Make no mistake ladies, you can lose all your years of service, and watch all of your hard work go down the drain just because someone doesn’t like the way your hair grows out of your scalp. Nobody knows this struggle like we do. SMH.
We wish Jessica Sims nothing but the best. We are sorry this happened; she took one for the team, and clearly we still have work to do!
What! That’s crazy.
Not Right!!!!
Wow
That is sad.. She seems to keep it will groomed so what is the problem.. As long as she did her job i don’t see nothing wrong with her hair
I don’t know her personally but I wish her all the blessings , this is so sad…I really don’t understand this logic
Regulations; comply with the uniform , if not, don’t join. #HOOAH
The Real Person!
she apparently complied for 11+ years until they had a problem this year.. the question is why now? what happened to years before when she had the same style
@BlackHairInformation.com, I agree. All those years she was in the service, why all of a sudden they have a problem with it now?
First off those weren’t the rules when she joined so why should she cut her hair because the military has a problem with people of color being natural…. #girlbye
ma’am there are rules of how your hair style is supposed to be, you’re not even in the military trying to justify a situation so girl bye to you and being natural is not the problem, the style of the hair is, go on somewhere else and be ignorant #GirlBye
You come off with such an air of sheer arrogance. It is you and the Navy that are missing the point of contention. I hope this young lady uses the U.S. courts to rectify her current situation. Sometimes you have to take a stand that which you know to be wrong. You on the other are one well trained house N****r!
Nicole your comprehension skills need help. Your lack of understanding make you seem ignorant. This woman have ben serving her country for years and they RECENTLY changed the rules. She have dreads so unlike other hairstyles she can’t just take them out. She will have to cut them all off and as a woman I can see why thats a problem. Dreads should be allowed, but styled a certain way. She shouldn’t have to cut off all her hair when this hairstyle was acceptable for many of years.
Hopefully she don’t have to cut her hair that would be tragic.
Comprehension skills? Ignorant? huh? you’re trying to sound all educated when in reality you are actually the ignorant civilian one that reads posts and opinions; I was in the Army! I know this! The rules have changed since 2012, how about you read military news papers and you’d know. You don’t even know the grooming process of the dress-code. They said cut, not shave her head off slowness, she could have dreads but they are past regulations. Now who’s comprehension skills are lacking #GirlBye
At one point blacks being allowed entry into the navy was against regulations. Did that make it right? If that rule had never been questioned you would not have been allowed to enter. All rules are not good rules. Rules are made to be broken!
Yes there are rules of how your hair should be. Clearly or they wouldn’t have tried to make her cut it. Try to prove a point when you are absolutely wrong!!!
Yes being natural is a problem. Clearly you didn’t read up on the changes!
Ok if you’re agreeing with rules of the hair what point are you trying to make exactly ma’am? I’ve made my point, follow the rules or be prepared to move HOOAH
I’m not agreeing with them. They recently changed and not only did they change but they had to change the wording when it came to the terminology that the used because it was offensive…. The point is don’t target a certain group… It’s much bigger then her locks.
lmfao what in the world? 2012 is not considered a recent changed, no wording was changed in the handbook rules of personal grooming of the Navy, locks are to not be spaced, being natural has nothing to do with this issue, during process of shipment you are briefed of what your hair is supposed to be, your hair is cut according to standards, the reason why African women are mainly mentioned is because we are the only ones in the military that wear these styles, not a prejudice thing at all, these are the rules. I respect your pride in hair, but when it comes to laws of the military, you HAVE to abide or you will suffer the consequences.
They have changed since 2012… Try a few months ago…
no, 2012, i was in fort bragg when it started but it didn’t become a serious issue til now
You must be Army. Thats where they put all of the low iq enlistees.
they don’t enlist people based on IQ’s, good try though
GOOD she shouldn’t be forced to do anything
i dont blame her i would refuse to & i don’t understand why they want her to
i mean its well groom
I like her hairstyle, I wouldn’t wanna cut it either.
That’s not right. Not everyone has long silky hair to push back in a neat bun. Unfortunately a lot of African Americans can’t do a lot of Western hairstyles without damaging their natural hair in the process. I dread my only because edges were extremely damaged from the perm. Her hair looks really neat.
It exceeds beyond the boundary, it’s widely spaced locks. Things are changing for African women in the military since 2012, when I was in the army, buns and hair above the rim of the uniform was acceptable. Couldn’t have braids or anything else. :-/
Why and it’s off her shoulders and face and well groomed
Whatever. I’d chose my hair too. Its beautiful.
rules she didnt know b4 joining
She was in for 11years
ok thank u for enlighting me^^^^
Everybody know u can’t have that in the military
Some women need to find their value and self worth inwardly, not outwardly. When the latter fades away..then what?
That’s messed up!! They ain’t got nothin betta to do than to worry bout somebody damn head! So sad
Woww dats crazi n sad!
I was in the US Navy for 5yrs…she knew the regs. before she enlisted. Regs. change from time to time about several things they give you so much time to prepare for the change. She refused to comply and I do not feel bad for her…..HOOYAH NAVY!!!
But she’s had them for the 12 years that she’s been in the military tho. So why all of a sudden is it a problem now?!? Wasn’t a problem 12 years ago
Its easy to not have sympathy when you aren’t the one having to go through the situation. From your profile pic your hair is permed and short, so apparently you don’t know how hard it may be on her to serve her country for over 11 years and then be told that the hairstyle you have don’t follow regulation. She have every right to be upset.
First of all you do not know me. You think youre so smart. So lets get it straight for one in my profile pic my hair is pulled back in a low bun its called layered.. Next I havent had a RELAXER not a Perm there is a difference, in over a year. Its called a blowout then flat ironed so keep your trap shout.
They keep trying to make excuses, but us military people who are obviously stating facts on this page know what we are talking about. We served/are serving, you are briefed with the rules, they just don’t change things and not inform units, ma’am don’t even try to explain yourself to anyone because you are in the right, can’t argue with civilians solider. HOOAH
Your another brainwashed negro!
Okay, the main reason why I didn’t join this branch is because I was told I had to cut my hair above the collar. I wasn’t having that.
Racism never ends, so I guess if ur a white woman ur good, cause last time I check black people don’t have straight hair.
They’re trying to down size the military now so they have a bunch of BS rules.
That shit piss me off. That lady have her hair well groomed and off her face, what’s the fucking problem.
There’s a petition going on right now for this same thing. Black women in the military are being targeted for our own god given hair. Fucking BS. BARACK OBAMA better see into this shit when the petition is presented to him.
Nice n neat
Let the people with straight fight
When you join the United States military, you are going there to be a soldier. Your not going for a damn hair show, you sign up because you wanted to protect your country. If she or anybody else want to be an individual, then don’t sign uo to be a soldier. That’s is what is wrong with some of us black women, we care to damn much about some damn hair. She been in there for 12 years, at that point she had a military career, and she lost it all because she didn’t want to cut her hair. We fight, bitch and moan at men because we want to be equals. We want to stand next to them and protect our country, until they tell us to cut our hair. What kind of sick backwards thinking is that. When you sign up for the military, your their to be a soldier nothing else, your life belongs to the United States government, that’s it. Soldiers operate as one, nobody have time for silly mess like hair. Some people need to grow the hell up. It’s a time and place for everything. The military, is not the time or place for you to rock the latest hairstyle. SMDH.
Why does the meaning of bring equal means I have to defeminize myself? It seems like u see equality as a male thing
I’ve been in the Navy 14 years now and I think this is sad she is getting kicked out. She made it all the way to HM2 and it was not a problem. To my knowledge if you had locs before the Navy you were allowed to keep them. My husband served with Sims at a previous command and she had them then. The Navy is full of crap when it comes to us naturals, if we wear a bun it’s too big but no one ever says anything to a Caucasian girl about her 10 inch bun. I thank Sims for standing by what she believes in getting out the Navy is not the end of the world. I’m happy they are making changes soon we will be able twist that look like the same thing she is getting out for locs oops I mean disobeying a lawful order.
This is old. Being a natural, I don’t agree, but this is one of the reasons why I straighten my hair. I was always talked to my first year in the navy about my hair, even when it was in regs. Messed up how they played her, but I’m glad she took a stand.
Come on now! I’m not in the military and even know the rules about how your hair should be! Can’t get mad about it. That’s the rules.
I read this and I am very curious her hair seems very neat and presentable,was her hair in a different style years ago when she entered the navy? Why the sudden change in wanting her to chop her locks. Very curious situation.
That rule was made before she joined, and she knew it
thats discrimination, take it to a higher authority
So sad
simple. follow the rules. know changes in regulations will happen. embrace the suck or get out.
Its ok not to follow the rules or like change but you put yourself in that situation. People who are supporting her I guess just don’t know that the military isn’t the best thing to be in if you care more about yOur hair then yOur job. What makes it worse is the fact that she was in for so long and threw it all away.
And I hate the race remarks, can we bring that crap down a bit and stop comparing ourselves to white women ? Seriously bringing race into this situation is ignorance.
That’s so ridiculous! She’s serving our country & you’re more concerned about her hair being braided than her doing her job! Come on people, get a life!! I’m glad she kept them
Wow, why would she cut her hair when its obviously neat in a bun and doesn’t get in the way of uniform or her putting her hat on. It’s no different than other females who have long hair she just has dreads
They wanted her to cut her hair because the length is beyond regulation which sucks but she did sign up to be an army women.it is pretty neat on her head tho but even neatly idk how she would fit a garrison cap or even acu cap on her head
Do they tell white girls to cut their hair?
yes actually they do. I had a friend that had thick hair and her bun would just stick out literally a touch to far they basically told her “Shipmate! Your hair is out of Regs and you need to remedy that. Go fix it and we will inspect it, if it’s not fixed we will have you cut it. You can have it cut yourself or we will cut it for you, but either way it will be cut”. she had to cut it. She used gel and we tried different ways to bun it. She just had super thick curly hair. She cried about it, but I told her the same, “It’s just hair it will grow back and hopefully by then we’ll have a better plan of action”.
Awww man! ;/ I wish her well!
Nicole Brownie, are you in the military? I was in the Army 5 1/2 years and even there, it also depended upon your leaders. My enlisted leaders would say one thing but another group at the chow hall had other views. The regulations said one thing but some superiors have their personal tastes they tend to inflict on the soldiers. It was confusing. I’m out! Regulations are becoming more strict. Can’t say “that’s what she signed up for” when things are changing while people have been there before the changes. Come on now!
Did my years in the Army ma’am
White/Hispanic females are overlooked. I was deployed and saw one girl with the BIGGEST BUN I HAD EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. Was she stopped, harassed? Nope! It had to do with her unit and rank. It’s crazy. I had to get out.
Not at my commands. All the people that did not fit regs where corrected. Sounds to me that you were at a wishy washy command. That’s a command issue not a unified military issue. I don’t care about rank I’ve taken chits and routed them up. They can say no all they want you just say route it up, sooner or later it be looked at an addressed cause you don’t want it to get up to the captain or higher. Really they have to take time out of their busy day over a hair issue? REALLY?! I would make upper chain miserable doing that to the point that they didn’t call me by my rank and name it was Miss (Insert last name). I didn’t do double standards. It also helped that I was good at my job and normally really poilite, so if I popped off on something they knew it was for good reason. Best advice my Uncle (Captain O6) told me, “Document, document, document, and route it up”!
That’s crazy
So when you’re in the military you’re not allowed to be an individual from what I’m reading… You’re not allowed to care about your appearance because U belong to the United States government lol…. Thank u for your service…. I would never join the military though
No you are not an individual they tell you that the day you sign up. All of that goes out the window. So if you want to flaunt your fashion and what not don’t join the military. Go do something else.
You can tell when people just want to be nasty. Low IQ enlistees are put in he Army? LOL!!!!!! Actually, you go to the branch you’d like to be enlisted in. Wow!!! We’re talking about hair and he’s talking about IQ’s? #JesusHelp
It’s sad she’s getting kicked out all because of a few regulation changes, her hair hasn’t caused any problems in her 11 years in service so honestly I don’t see why they’re doing this
It’s the military. You have to comply. They don’t care about what you used to do. They only care about what the regulations are now. Black women were not always allowed to sport braids either. I saw some pics from when my mom served (whooo child). So the fact that they even gave it a shot is commendable. It didn’t work out and now they have to change it. And I have seen when it has gone horribly wrong. i saw a girls hair burn off her head, I have seen a girls braid get yanked off so hard it took off meat from her scalp she had to have it stapled back on. During a training exercise ( thank god it was fake another lady didn’t have a good seal on her gas mask and she was instantly dead for that exercise. There are reasons to why things are the way they are.
They are kicking many people out of the military now & are finding any excuse they can use to do so (from what I am being told by current military members). I was Active Duty Army from 1993-1998 & we weren’t allowed to have our hair go past our collar either in BDUs or PTs. Plus you had to make sure your hair could fit under your BDU hat i.e. hair straight, short/TWA, layer, braids, etc. I believe over the years they may have changed the DA regulations. Its a shame because many good service personnel (Army-soldiers, etc.) have been let go & whats left……..don’t know.
Well it’s the rules in the military so she can’t even be mad
Another brainwashed negro!
There are very few blogs that I get involved in but this one just seemed to be calling my name. My first thought is if you are not in the military you probably do not share the camaraderie that those of us do who are active members or vets. Therefore it would most likely be very difficult to have an unbiased opinion based on personal experience or facts. Because I am a Vet my initial question is what are the new guidelines for female hairstyles. When I am in uniform it was that the hair had to be worn above the collar and you headgear had to fit properly allowing for the two finger fit. From the picture in this blog I don’t see how the service member’s headgear would fit her head properly. However if this is not a major factor for this issue I find it very difficult to intelligently comment on an issue without all of the facts. I also believe that individuals who believe the military is a brainwashing entity usually lack discipline in their lives. Again if you have not shared the experience you have no reference to provide an intelligent viewpoint.
I can believe it because when I was on active duty I went through it with my hair. Once my someone looked at me and said it was “to curly”. What does that even mean. To say the least I did my 10 years and got out.
I was in the Navy (and I’m black) and I wore braids (underway it made under way, so much easier) and there was strict guidelines as well, but no offense to her, she knows that if you are told to do something whether you agree with it or not when you joined you became the property of the government, so you have to look the way they want you to look. I understand that she had this look since waaaay back when but come on the Navy is always changing the look. We went from dungarees to utilities, from utilities, to these new fatigues and they have changed the dress work uniforms to the point that we look like the marines. Both branches don’t like that, but guess what we signed up, so we got to get over it. I don’t feel bad that she was separated. I think it’s the best for her now she can wear her hair any way she wants. Also the fact that she is an HM she should have just complied to regulations because her comrades need her to be around in an emergency to fix us when we get injured. What good is she to the command if she can’t get a good seal on her gas mask or if her headgear doesn’t fit properly? She is now a casualty. They need her.
Shocked to hear this. I am a retired Army Veteran with 20 years of honorable service. I remember wearing my hair in ahem “The Gheri Curl”. kept it neat, followed the regulations and never experienced a problem. I also wore my hair with extensions (braided), keep my hair flat, in a bun, made sure my BDU cap fit, including my dress cap and again, never experienced a problem. I do believe it depends on your commander and how they “view” you in uniform. I don’t ever being told I had to cut my hair and I would have refused as well. I truly would have reported this incident to the I.G., sought legal direction, reviewed the regulations and question other females who wore their hair (especially those with long hair, all twisted in a bun, some with bangs etc)., before they attempted to force me to “cut” my hair. I would wear my braids in a high bun, neatly tucked and made sure, the hair never touched the collar, no hair was ever in my face and I was okay….boy the rules are getting crazy. But if the regulation cites what is appropriate and what isn’t, then do what must be done to comply. I do know the rules for the Armed Forces have become more strict and WE must understand why. Whether we agree or not, it is what it is. This isn’t so much about race, but rather ignorance. Black women’s hair is different than any other race. I also would wear my hair in two braids and again, never experienced a problem. I have seen white girls who violated the rules regarding hair and nothing was done. Some of these white girls tried to question me and I looked them squarely in the eye and stated, “until my 1st Sgt or my Commander has a problem with my hair, who the hell are you?! Have you looked in the mirror?! My hair is tight, now what?! And by the way, your hair is falling way past your uniform collar, I suggest you get some same colored bobby pins and put it up. ” Needless to say, I never encountered a problem. I received a lot of compliments and I even asked my senior NCOs and Officers if MY hair was a problem. They said “No…it’s pretty, it’s neat and you are in compliance” . A lot depends on the soldiers attitude and how one carries themselves. Well so much for that, I’m retired now and proud to have served my country. Now I wear my hair in twists and I don’t care who doesn’t like it.. I’m neat, clean, presentable and professional. Now what you gonna do about that?! Not one damn thing.