Air Force gets specific on dress code, grooming standards

By Stars & Stripes, copyright 2011 on July 20, 2011

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany - The U.S. Air Force this week published a new instruction manual on dress code and appearance that provides airmen with more specific guidance on acceptable uniform and personal grooming standards, as well as body art, jewelry, cosmetics and "dental ornamentation." Airmen say this is the first time all the regulations have been easily accessible in one document.

Air Force officials say that most of the changes in the 179-page manual involve the addition of more detail and clarification to existing policy, something that airmen working at Kaiserslautern-area bases say was long overdue.

"It was a mess before," said Staff Sgt. Richard Wynn, 28, referring to the disorganization and ambiguity of the previous guidance. "It was so confusing ... it was so outdated. If you were out of regulation, people didn't say anything because ‘you can't prove that.' "

The updated guidance will make it harder for airmen to get away with dress violations, airmen at Vogelweh said Tuesday, but it will also be easier for airmen to understand what the regulations are, and limit room for subjective decisions on what is and is not allowed.

"It's a big relief," Wynn said.

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