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Z-Gram #70; dated 21 January 1971

Grooming and Uniform Policy

R 211339Z JAN 71
FM CNO (Z-70)

TO NAVOP

UNCLAS //N10120//
GROOMING AND UNIFORM POLICY

1. AS A RESULT OF MY RECENT FIELD TRIPS AND PERSONAL CONTACTS WITH NAVYMEN, PLUS THE HIGH INCIDENCE OF CORRESPONDENCE, IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT FURTHER AMPLIFICATION OF AND CHANGE TO POLICY IS REQUIRE IN TWO AREAS COVERED IN NAVOP Z-57, NAMELY HAIR GROOMING AND UNIFORMS. THESE CHANGES WILL BE INCORPORATED IN THE NEXT CHANGE TO U.S. NAVY UNIFORM REGULATIONS.

A. HAIR GROOMING: THE NAVY DOES NOT PRESCRIBE NOR DISTINGUISH AMONG STYLES OF HAIRCUTS. A WIDE VARIETY OF HAIR STYLES, IF MAINTAINED IN A NEAT MANNER, IS ACCEPTABLE. THE DETERMINATION OF HAIR STYLES, WITHIN THE CRITERIA DETAILED BELOW, IS AN INDIVIDUAL DECISION.

(1) HAIR WILL BE NEAT, CLEAN, TRIMMED, AND PRESENT A GROOMED APPEARANCE. HAIR WILL NOT TOUCH THE COLLAR EXCEPT FOR THE CLOSELY CUT HAIR AT THE BACK OF THE NECK AND THAT WILL PRESENT A TAPERED APPEARANCE. HAIR IN THE FRONT WILL BE GROOMED SO THAT IT DOES NOT FALL BELOW THE EYEBROWS WHEN A PERSON IS UNCOVERED AND IT WILL NOT BUSH OUT BELOW THE BAND OF PROPERLY WORN HEADGEAR. IN NO CASE SHALL THE BULK OR LENGTH OF HAIR INTERFERE WITH THE PROPER WEARING OF ANY MILITARY HEADGEAR. THE EXACT MAXIMUM LENGTH OF THE HAIR IS NO LONGER SPECIFIED.

(2) IF AN INDIVIDUAL CHOOSES TO WEAR SIDEBURNS, THEY WILL BE NEATLY TRIMMED.  SIDEBURNS WILL NOT EXTEND BELOW THE BOTTOM OF THE EARLOBE, WILL BE OF EVEN WIDTH (NOT FLARED), AND WILL END WITH A CLEAN-SHAVEN HORIZONTAL LINE.

(3) IF A BEARD OR MOUSTACHE IS WORN, IT SHALL BE WELL GROOMED AND NEATLY TRIMMED IN ORDER NOT TO CONTRIBUTE TO A RAGGED APPEARANCE. THIS POLICY AUTHORIZES AND INCLUDES FULL AND PARTIAL BEARDS, VAN DYKES, AND GOATEES.

B. UNIFORMS: IN ADDITION TO THE FOREGOING POLICIES ASSOCIATED WITH GROOMING I BELIEVE THAT SOME DISCUSSION OF UNIFORMS IS NEEDED.

(1) I SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH THE WEARING OF THE BLUE WORKING JACKET, RAINCOAT, OR PEACOAT WITH THE DUNGAREE WORKING UNIFORM. HOWEVER, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS UNIFORM IS ONLY TO BE WORN BETWEEN WORK AND THE LOCAL RESIDENCE. FOUL WEATHER OR FLIGHT JACKETS ARE NOT APPROPRIATELY WORN OFF BASE WITH THE WORKING UNIFORM. FLIGHT JACKETS MAY, HOWEVER BE WORN WITH FLIGHT SUITS WHENEVER THEY ARE APPROPRIATELY WORN.

(2) ALTHOUGH THE WEARING OF WORKING UNIFORM TO AND FROM WORK AND THE LOCAL RESIDENCE HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED, IT IS NOT INTENDED THAT PERSONNEL BE PERMITTED TO MAKE OTHER THAN VERY BRIEF STOPS OFF BASE FOR PERSONAL NECESSITIES IN THIS UNIFORM. THE WORKING UNIFORM REMAINS A WORKING UNIFORM, NOT A LIBERTY UNIFORM.

2. I WISH TO REEMPHASIZE THAT WITHIN THE BROAD GUIDELINES OF THE POLICIES I HAVE ISSUED AND AMPLIFIED, IT REMAINS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OFFICERS IN COMMAND TO ENSURE THAT THEIR PERSONNEL PRESENT A NEAT AND WELL GROOMED APPEARANCE AT ALL TIMES IN ALL PLACES.

3. NONE OF MY RECENT DIRECTIVES HAVE LOWERED OUR NAVY STANDARDS OF GROOMING AND DRESS; THEY HAVE, HOWEVER, REPRESENTED CHANGES IN STANDARDS TO REFLECT CONTEMPORARY STYLES AND TRENDS. I ASK FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF ALL HANDS TO DEMONSTRATE MATURITY AND GOOD JUDGMENT IN SHOULDERING THE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY NECESSARY TO PRESERVE THE FINE APPEARANCE OF A MAN IN UNIFORM. I EXPECT RESPONSIBLE OFFICERS AND PETTY OFFICERS TO TAKE IN HAND THOSE FEW INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT WILLING TO ACCEPT THE SPIRIT OF THESE SPECIAL PRIVILEGES. E. R. ZUMWALT, JR., ADMIRAL, U.S. NAVY, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.
BT

[END]

 

Published: Wed Jan 05 16:46:22 EST 2022