Study guide
2.2 Hair, Cosmetics, Fingernails, and Jewelry Standards (AD 2025-18)
Army Promotion Board SGT/SSG
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1 The Promotion Board Process, Eligibility, and Preparation
1.1 AR 600-8-19 Board Eligibility, TIS/TIG Zones, and PME Requirements 1.2 Board Proceedings, Protocol, Uniform Inspection, and Boardroom Bearing 1.3 Promotion Points, the AFT Conversion, IPPS-A, and Monthly Cutoff Scores 1.4 Board Preparation: Study Plan, Current Events, and World Affairs 1.5 Situational Questions, ICTL Proficiency, and Board Scenario Technique
2 Uniform Standards, Grooming, and Awards (AR 670-1, AD 2025-18, AR 600-8-22)
2.1 ASU and AGSU Configuration, Insignia, Badges, and Awards Placement 2.2 Hair, Cosmetics, Fingernails, and Jewelry Standards (AD 2025-18) 2.3 Wear of Combat Uniforms, Duty Accessories, and Body Modification & Tattoo Policies 2.4 Facial Hair, Medical Exceptions to Policy, and Religious Accommodation 2.5 The Army Awards and Decorations System (AR 600-8-22)
3 Army Leadership & Doctrine (ADP 6-22 & FM 6-22)
3.1 The Army Leadership Requirements Model: Attributes and Competencies 3.2 Leadership Levels, Dynamics, Command Climate, and the Warrior Ethos 3.3 The Counseling Process (ATP 6-22.1 & DA Form 4856) 3.4 The Evaluation Reporting System & NCOER (AR 623-3 & DA Form 2166-9 Series)
4 Customs, Courtesies, and Military Traditions (AR 600-25 & TC 3-21.5)
4.1 Saluting Protocols, Courtesies to Officers, and Hand Salute Standards 4.2 National Flag Etiquette, Colors, Reveille, Retreat, and Honors to the Nation 4.3 Drill and Ceremonies Fundamentals (TC 3-21.5) and Formations 4.4 Rank Structure, Chain of Command, the NCO Support Channel, and Unit Organization
5 Army History, Heritage, and Creeds
5.1 Army Birthday, Continental Army Foundations, and Historical Milestones 5.2 Evolution of the NCO Corps and the Sergeant Major of the Army 5.3 Major American Campaigns and Military Battle History 5.4 The Army Values, The Soldier's Creed, and The NCO Creed
6 Army Programs, Command Policy, and Soldier Readiness
6.1 SHARP Under AR 600-52: Reporting Options, Complaint Processing, and the OSTC 6.2 The Military Equal Opportunity and Harassment Prevention Program (AR 600-20, Chapter 6) 6.3 Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) and SUDCC (AR 600-85) 6.4 Soldier and Family Support Programs: AER, Red Cross, ACS, EFMP, and BOSS 6.5 Suicide Prevention, Behavioral Health, and Resilience 6.6 Prohibited Activities: Extremism, Retaliation, Prohibited Relationships, and Political Activity 6.7 Retention, Reenlistment, and the Career Counseling of Subordinates
7 Tactical Combat Casualty Care & First Aid (TC 4-02.1 & ATP 4-02.83)
7.1 TCCC Phases of Care: Care Under Fire, Tactical Field Care, and TACEVAC 7.2 MARCH PAWS Assessment: Massive Hemorrhage and Airway Management 7.3 Respiration, Circulation, Shock, Burns, and Environmental Injuries 7.4 9-Line MEDEVAC Request Protocol and Tactical Evacuation Procedures
8 CBRN Defense & Force Protection (ATP 3-11.32 & AR 525-13)
8.1 CBRN Hazards, Chemical Agent Classifications, and Physiological Effects 8.2 MOPP Gear Levels, Protective Mask PMCS, and Decontamination 8.3 Antiterrorism, Physical Security, and Force Protection Conditions (AR 525-13)
9 Weapons, Land Navigation, and Physical Readiness
9.1 M4/M16 Rifle Characteristics, Clearing, Malfunctions, and Weapons Safety (TC 3-22.9) 9.2 Map Reading, Grid Coordinates, and Marginal Information (TC 3-25.26) 9.3 Land Navigation: Terrain Features, Azimuths, Intersection, and Resection 9.4 Holistic Health and Fitness, the Army Fitness Test, and the Combat Field Test 9.5 The Army Body Composition Program and the Waist-to-Height Standard (AD 2026-13) 9.6 Crew-Served Weapons, Sidearms, and Munitions
10 Military Justice, the Law of War, and Duty
10.1 The UCMJ, Article 15 Non-Judicial Punishment, and Courts-Martial 10.2 The Code of Conduct, the Law of War, and Rules of Engagement 10.3 Guard Duty, the Three General Orders, and Operations Security
11 Training Management and Unit Sustainment
11.1 Training Management: ICTL, the Digital Job Book, and Sergeant's Time Training 11.2 Maintenance, Supply Discipline, and Property Accountability
2.2 Hair, Cosmetics, Fingernails, and Jewelry Standards (AD 2025-18)
Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI
Army Directive 2025-18, published 12 September 2025, replaced subjective grooming language in AR 670-1 with measured standards and gave Soldiers 30 days to comply.
Male hair must be a blended taper or fade beginning at zero length or 1/4 inch, with bulk not exceeding 2 inches on top and 1 inch at the sides; locs, braids, twists, and shaved designs are prohibited for male Soldiers.
Female ponytails and single braids are authorized only in the Army Combat Uniform and physical fitness uniform, must not exceed 6 inches from the top of the collar, and are prohibited in any variation of the dress uniform.
Buns are worn at the back of the head, extend no more than 3 inches from the scalp, are no wider than the head, and are centered horizontally in line with the top of the ears.
Lipstick and eyelash extensions are prohibited; clear or skin-tone tinted lip gloss and clear lip moisturizer are authorized, female fingernails may not exceed 1/4 inch and only clear polish is authorized.
Last updated: September 2026
Hair, Cosmetics, Fingernails, and Jewelry Standards (AD 2025-18)
Board Primer: On 12 September 2025 the Secretary of the Army published Army Directive 2025-18 (Appearance, Grooming, and Army Body Composition Program Standards) , and Soldiers had 30 days to comply. The directive deliberately replaced subjective phrases in AR 670-1 — "neat and conservative," "shoulder blades" — with measured standards . If your answer uses the old shoulder-blade rule, you are quoting a superseded policy.
1. Why Appearance Standards Exist
AR 670-1 Chapter 3 grounds personal appearance in discipline and safety, not aesthetics:
Protective equipment fit. Facial hair and excessive bulk break the seal of the M50 Joint Service General Purpose Mask and the fit of the Advanced Combat Helmet.
Operational safety. Hair and accessories must not catch in weapon actions, turrets, or rigging.
Uniformity and discipline. The Sergeant Major of the Army framed the 2025 directive plainly: "You don't have to memorize it, but you should know what right looks like."
2. Male Hair Standards
Taper or fade. Hair must be a blended taper or fade beginning at zero length (skin fade) or at 1/4-inch length . The transition between the short sides and the longer top must be smooth, with no sharp undercuts .
Bulk. Not more than 2 inches at the top of the scalp and 1 inch at the sides.
Prohibited. Locs, braids, and twists are prohibited for male Soldiers, as are shaved designs, asymmetrical cuts, mohawks, and any style that is not a natural human hair color.
General. Hair will not fall over the ears, touch the eyebrows, or touch the collar. Shaved heads remain authorized.
3. Male Sideburns and Mustaches
Sideburns begin at zero or 1/4-inch length, are trimmed with a clean horizontal line, and — under the current facial-hair guidance — must be trimmed above the opening of the ear canal .
Mustaches are authorized. They must be neatly trimmed and tapered , may not cover the upper lip line, and may not extend beyond a vertical line drawn upward from the corners of the mouth.
Beards are prohibited without an approved medical exception to policy or religious accommodation . Those two processes are covered in the next section.
4. Female Hair Standards
The 2025 directive rebuilt the female hair rules around three named styles with fixed dimensions.
Ponytails
Authorized as a single braided or single unbraided ponytail , only in the Army Combat Uniform (ACU) or the Army Physical Fitness Uniform (APFU) .
Prohibited in any variation of the dress uniform — this is the change most candidates get wrong.
The bulk of the ponytail must not exceed the width of the head .
Maximum length: 6 inches from the top of the collar. Minimum length: 1 inch , measured from the base of the ponytail holder.
Centered at the back of the head and positioned horizontally in line with the top of the ears when viewed from the side.
Buns
Worn at the back of the head , extending a maximum of 3 inches from the scalp and no wider than the width of the head .
Centered at the back of the head, positioned horizontally in line with the top of the ears when viewed from the side. The bottom of the bun may fall at or above the collar.
Braids
Up to two braids running parallel down the center of the back are authorized in the utility and physical fitness uniforms.
No braid may exceed 2 inches in width or 6 inches in length.
General
Only natural hair colors . Blended fades are authorized for female Soldiers, with the same no-sharp-undercut rule and a 2-inch maximum bulk on top. Shaved heads are authorized.
Hair accessories must be plain, unadorned, and match the natural hair color or be clear or black.
5. Cosmetics
- Male Soldiers Female Soldiers
- Cosmetics generally Prohibited , except by medical exception Conservative, matching the natural complexion
- Lipstick Prohibited Prohibited
Lip gloss / moisturizer Clear lip moisturizer authorized Clear or skin-tone tinted lip gloss and clear lip moisturizer authorized
- Eyelash extensions Not applicable Prohibited
- Semipermanent makeup Prohibited Authorized within conservative standards
- 6. Fingernails
Male Soldiers: nails will not extend beyond the tip of the finger , and no polish of any kind — including clear — is authorized .
Female Soldiers: nails will not exceed 1/4 inch in length , must be square or rounded in shape, and only clear polish is authorized .
- 7. Jewelry
- Earrings
Male Soldiers: not authorized to wear earrings in any military uniform or on duty in civilian attire.
Female Soldiers: authorized in the ACU, service, and dress uniforms . Earrings must be a matched pair , one earring per standard earlobe , small plain studs , not exceeding 6 millimeters (1/4 inch) in diameter, unadorned, and spherical or square. Hoops and drop earrings are not authorized.
Earrings may not be worn in the cartilage, industrial, transverse lobe, tragus, or conch of the ear.
No other facial or visible piercing is permitted in any uniform, and clear nose-ring gauges and retainers are not authorized .
Earrings are not worn in tactical or field environments .
Rings, watches, and bracelets
A maximum of two rings total across both hands; a wedding set counts as one ring . Thumb rings are not authorized.
One wristwatch , conservative in color and design.
One bracelet : a medical alert bracelet or a POW/MIA or KIA remembrance bracelet. Decorative and fashion bracelets are prohibited.
Body ornamentation
Attaching, affixing, or displaying objects, articles, jewelry, or ornamentation to, through, or under the skin, tongue, lips, inside the mouth, or any other visible body part is prohibited on duty. Dental ornamentation — gold, platinum, or unnatural-color caps, jewels, initials, or designs on teeth — is prohibited, as is unnatural shaping of teeth for nonmedical reasons.
8. Comparative Standards Matrix
Category Male standard Female standard
Haircut Blended taper/fade from 0 or 1/4 in.; bulk 2 in. top / 1 in. sides Blended fade authorized; bulk 2 in. on top
- Locs, braids, twists Prohibited Braids authorized (max two, 2 in. wide, 6 in. long) in ACU/APFU
- Ponytail Not applicable ACU/APFU only; max 6 in. from collar, min 1 in.; prohibited in dress uniforms
- Bun Not applicable Max 3 in. from scalp, no wider than the head
- Sideburns Zero or 1/4 in.; above the opening of the ear canal Blended into the hairstyle
Facial hair Clean-shaven; mustache authorized; beard only by approved ETP or religious accommodation Not applicable
- Nail length Not beyond the fingertip Max 1/4 in., square or rounded
- Nail polish None, including clear Clear only
- Lipstick Prohibited Prohibited
- Lip gloss / moisturizer Clear moisturizer only Clear or skin-tone tinted gloss; clear moisturizer
- Earrings Prohibited in uniform and on duty Matched plain studs, max 6 mm, standard earlobe only; not in field
- Rings Max 2 (bridal set counts as one) Max 2 (bridal set counts as one)
- Bracelets One medical alert or POW/MIA/KIA One medical alert or POW/MIA/KIA