females in bootcamp..
 

Hey y'all so I know I have to cut my hair.. but can I have conditioner? Regular? Leave in!!? I have thickkkk hair.. It's got a natural wave to it and will be unmanageable without conditioner so if I can't have it should I cut it shorter than a bob? It's below my bra now (mid-back). Also bobby pins are okay but hair ties aren't allowed correct? Also can we take birth control straight through to avoid a period and what happens if we get bad cramps are we allowed to take something or just suck it up and move? thanks!

A lot of that will depend on your RDCs. We could have whatever shampoo or conditioner we wanted, but we had to earn our bobbypins, didn't get those until week 3 or 4. I've heard of divisions where they had to wash their hair with body wash the whole time.

As far as periods go - they will definitely prescribe you birth control and ibuprofen and things of that nature. If it's really bad, I saw at least one recruit be proscribed stronger stuff and given SIQ. Generally you want to avoid that though. I don't know if they will let you stack so you don't get periods . . . although the stress of bootcamp affects everyone differently and you may wind up having it even with stacking.

okay thank you!! And they do or do not do a pap at basic?

They will do a pap unless you've had it done in the past six months and have the documentation with you.

You should definitely get it cut before boot camp! Unless you get major shrinkage when wet and that's how your going to wear it when arriving at boot camp....then they will CHOP it! And I did not say CUT it for a reason!

From what my friends daughter said when she went..it is highly advisable to cut it WAY shorter than regulations PRIOR to going to boot, as they will literally CHOP it to above regs when you get there if they feel it should be cut! And it wont be pretty!

Thanks everyone I appreciate the advice. I met with my recruiter today and took the asvab but they didn't know about hair cuts they keep hearing different things so I'll just cut it prior to and donate it instead of getting it chopped there! It's only hair it'll grow back. :)

Me and another girl in my division, went to bootcamp with a sew-in weave to avoid getting our actual hair getting cut. Another girl had a wig. Some MEPS Navy liasons make you take it out though. I know for a fact the Jacksonville MEPS makes you do it, bkuz they made one of my friends do it before she left that day.

They offer you every type of birth control under the sun omg. Its amazing. The pill (the period every month one and every 3 months one), the depo shot, the path, some type of thing they put under your skin... EVERYTHING! Just take your pick and that's what you'll get.

They'll also give you Ibuprofen and calcium pills if you want them.

what about bangs? should i keep mine long so they can be pulled back? or do they prefer bangs? i think i read that they should not be visible under your cap but any clarification would be handy :D

No bangs. More hassle than it's worth.

I cannot stress enough that it would be SOOO much easier if you had your hair cut before boot camp! When the time comes for hair cuts you have been awake for more than 24 hours and you wait forever, also they chop your hair they don't care if they miss a few pieces, and they cut it just at chin level maybe even a little shorter on some females! I say have it cut chin level before you leave and hope that your RDC's will allow bobby pins when you get to your ship!