When the Army updates AR 670-1, every soldier takes notice. They figure out whether they need to toss anything out or plan a trip to the on-base uniform store. But this time around, many female soldiers of color had to plan an expensive trip to the beauty salon.

Why? Because this change to the Army's regulation of uniforms effectively outlawed afros, most braids and all twists. For men and women without exposure to the cultural behemoth that is black hair, this probably doesn't seem like a big deal. I can assure you that it is.



I spent six of my best years in the US Army, including a 15-month tour in Iraq. It was a pleasure and a privilege to serve my country, and I'd do it all again. But the Army's new grooming standards remind me of why I decided not to stay. I was immediately and viscerally offended by the leaked presentation slides outlining the change, as was much of the black Twitterverse.

Army Regulation 670-1 is easily the most conversationally cited regulation in the Army. It is the "Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia", and everyone from the newest private out of basic training to the most seasoned general knows its significance and how it applies to them. Formally or informally, by superiors or by peers, every soldier spends the entire day being compared to AR 670-1. If her trousers come untucked or his mustache is a little wide, it won't be long before a correction comes.

It's no wonder. Appearance is a hallmark of professionalism and professionalism a hallmark of the United States Armed Forces. So, of course, professional appearance is one of the major factors in whether a soldier is promoted. This reality, paired with the updates to AR 670-1, put African-American women like me in a difficult position – the Army no longer authorizes us to wear our hair the way it naturally grows out of our heads.

It's not that these regulations aren't important. All soldiers should have well-groomed hairstyles that look neat and do not interfere with headgear such as caps, berets, gasmasks and helmets.

Larger braids, twists and afros are inexpensive and easy-to-maintain options for women of color with natural hair – civilian or military. Removing these styles for female soldiers of color essentially limits our options to three: chemical straightening, heat straightening or extensions. These styles are expensive, time-consuming and (in the case of chemical straightening) potentially toxic and nearly impossible to maintain in the field.



Allow me to get technical: during field exercises or deployments, braids and twists are a godsend – maintaining well-groomed, chemically or thermally straightened hair is incredibly difficult when electricity or water is scarce. Wide braids can be loosened and retied easily by the individual soldier, but the authorized tight, narrow braids take hours to redo and often require the assistance of another person. They attract and display dirt and sand more readily. These braids also pull hard on the roots of the hair all over the head. Wearing them regularly can cause headaches and, over time, cause permanent hairloss like receding hairlines and bald spots.



The US Army has defended the changes saying the new rules promote uniformity and safety. It says the changes were developed by way of a female focus group that included black women, but that doesn't change the effect it has on female soldiers of color.



I applaud the Congressional Black Caucus's recent letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel calling for a rollback of the change. They are right to highlight this as yet another example of how African-American women must "meet unreasonable norms" to be viewed as acceptably groomed in the workplace. Spending $1,000 a year to keep curly hair straight is certainly unreasonable on a soldier's salary.



The Army must allow female soldiers of color to wear their hair in natural styles that are inexpensive, easy to maintain and healthy for the scalp, like twists and large braids. And if the Army truly values diversity, it should be more mindful of how this regulation affects minority soldiers.



Rolling back these changes would have no negative impact on the professionalism or safety of female soldiers of color. They will continue to lead, train and fight for their country – just as they did before this unfair update. And they will be able to do so wearing the hair that grows out of their heads.