RAPIDS CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – For many people, hair is considered a fashion statement and a change in appearance.
But for one member of the South Dakota Army National Guard, the problem goes deeper than that.
It has long been a requirement for those joining the military to cut their hair short and keep it short while serving, but for Moses Brave Heart it was a tough pill to swallow.
“I knew that was the case before I signed up, so I felt pretty accepted, but deep down I felt like it wasn’t for me,” Brave Heart said. . .
Brave Heart, a specialist from the Oglala Sioux tribe, joined the North Dakota National Guard in 2020. In order to join the military, he made the difficult decision to cut his hair to meet the Guard’s standards.
But then the Pine Ridge native got some good news.
“It wasn’t until probably three years later that I learned there was an exception to the policy,” Brave Heart said.
Brave Heart first became aware that exceptions to hair policies could exist during his 2022 assignment. He was happy to hear the news because of what his hair represents.
“The only time we cut or trim our hair or do things like that is when we lose someone. So it’s part of the grieving process. Every time we lose someone close to us, we… They lose a part of themselves and usually end up burning it or cutting it off,” Brave Heart explained.
An exception to his policy was approved by the Department of Defense in May 2023, finally giving him the chance to grow his hair out.
“That was pretty big for me. You know, I just cried a little bit of happy tears because I felt that feeling of joy that I was feeling deep in my stomach,” Brave Heart said.
While fighting for exceptions to the policy, some of the support he received from others served him well throughout the process.
“One of the requirements was kind of letters of support from other enrolled members, so I got some from people in the North Dakota (National Guard) and then I got a letter of support from my spiritual advisor. ” Braveheart said.
Following a policy approval exception, Brave Heart is now focused on educating those who wish to join the military without getting trimmed.
“I was reading some of the comments on the Facebook post, and there weren’t many, but I didn’t know about it. But as you all know, about the importance of long hair in Native American tribes. Not many people know about it, so I’m really excited to get the word out,” Brave Heart said.
Brave Heart will be transferred to the South Dakota National Guard in 2024 and is looking forward to growing all his hair back.
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