When you think of the U.S. military, there are a few iconic images that might come to mind: crisp uniforms, medals, and, of course, 

Hair has always been more than just a matter of appearance in the armed forces. As a matter of fact, it is a symbol of discipline, unity, and tradition. Every generation of service members has found a way to own their era. So, let’s take a lighthearted look at the military hairstyles that have accompanied service members from the Revolutionary War to now.

Wigs & Long Hair Made an Appearance During the Revolutionary War

During the 1700s and throughout the Revolutionary War, those who served in the Army often wore wigs, as did European officials.

Eventually, those who were serving in the infantry also began to don wigs. However, not everyone could afford this style, and alternatively, they would grow their own hair out.

Short Hair & Muttonchops Left Their Mark on the Civil War

By the Civil War, men began to embrace full facial hair, which included beards, mustaches, and mutton chops.

In fact, you would commonly see many Army officials wearing bushy muttonchops with shorter hair on their heads. Muttonchop’s rise in popularity was largely due to General Ambrose Burnside. He was a Union General who was famous for his very distinctive, thick facial hair.

Additionally, he had distinctive, thick sideburns that connected to his mustache, but left his chin bare. His influence grew, and eventually the term “sideburns” was coined, which was a play on his name.

Due to Burnside’s influence and position of authority, facial hair quickly became seen as a signifier of masculinity and authority.

Military Hairstyles During WWI Represented Practicality

During WWI, men’s hairstyles were very practical, featuring short sides, and a long top.

For those combing over their hair, they had to make sure that their part was neat and distinguished.

The WWI look was very distinctive, as hair around the ears was often shaved, and was cut close to the scalp on the back and sides of the head.

Millions of young men flooded military training camps during World War II, and a common experience for all was a trip to the barber. Ready or not, that hair came off.

During this era, practicality was very important. Therefore, the military haircut wasn't centered around looking good.

If you look back in pictures, you'll see that men mostly had close-cropped cuts, which help reduce the risk of lice. Lice was a significant concern in close quarters, so this haircut was all about staying clean.

Often referred to as the “high and tight, ” this haircut featured shaved sides and a short top, nothing fancy. Despite the strict regulations and buttoned-up appearances, service members managed to add a touch of their own personality.

When they left and headed to town, they would slick the top of their high and tight with pomade, mimicking the look of Hollywood stars. It was indeed a war zone for them during the week but on a Saturday night? You better believe those guys wanted to turn heads at the local dance.

Flattops Were a Signature Style After WWII

Things lightened up after WWII, and rock ‘n’ roll was a part of it. Movie stars had perfectly coiffed hair, so the idea of bringing flair to cool military hairstyles didn’t seem to hurt.

The flattop era – the sides and back cropped short, with a top so flat that it could double as a small landing pad. Veterans LOVED it. Civilians admired it. And barbers became legends for their mastery of it.

Getting a great flattop became a source of pride back then, so finding the right barber was on top task for service members.

They would often share their go-to barber shop with each other, just to make sure to visit the guy who can create that perfectly square top, no dips and uneven spots, someone who can say, “I know how to handle precision.”

To this day, many still maintain the look, and some Veterans continue to wear this military hairstyle.

Regulation Length During the Vietnam War Era

During the Vietnam War era, long hair and scruffy beards symbolized peace and rebellion. The message here was to look sharp, stay clean, and follow the rules.

Soldiers mostly kept standard haircuts; short buzz cuts and crew cuts were the usual military hairstyles.

The most popular in this era was the crew cut – it had a distinct style, short, practical, and just enough hair on top to comb or style, yet still met military regulations.

Soldiers often found small ways to express their personality and still maintain style, and one of those ways was 

. It’s one of the few that were allowed, such as tattoos, religious garments, and eyeglasses, of course, still with restrictions.

Modern Military Hairstyles & Grooming Look Much Different

Military hairstyles now are very different, and much more flexible. The rules are still there (and always will be), but there’s more room for a personal touch.

The “faded” haircut has become the go-to look in the military today, as it offers a range of styling options – from a high fade to a skin fade. It’s clean and sharp. When done right, you can never go back to your old hairstyle. A good fade takes skill and attention to detail, so finding a modern military barber is a true gem for service members.

Grooming now reflects the diversity of those who serve. So, military hairstyles like neatly kept locs, braids, and twists are more respected. When off duty, we can still see Veterans keeping their fades looking sharp. With this, it started to catch the public’s eye, so civilians began to embrace wearing cool military hairstyles.

it’s not just about haircuts or regulation

; they tell a story. The haircuts and how they style them act like a small window into history. After all, history isn’t just found in books. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of a few inches of hair.

Military Ordered to Cut the Cost of PCS Moves by 50% by 2030

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Peak PCS moving season is fast approaching. In light of the ongoing reports of military families facing significant issues and hurdles during the last PCS season, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the U.S. Transportation Command to change how the Global Household Goods contract is being implemented, to help better serve military families. Keep reading to learn more about the change, and the action being taken.

Hegseth Addresses PCS Season Issues & Lays Out a Plan

Many military families have shared their PCS experiences and struggles, calling for much needed changes. On May 20th, Hegseth addressed families, noting that while the PCS process has, "never been a great system," recent changes have only made the process worse. 

He stated, "We know it's not working, and it's only getting worse. We've heard your concerns about contractor performance, quality, and accountability. We hear you loud and clear, and that's why we're taking decisive action immediately."

In his memo, Hegseth explained that during the 2025 PCS moving season, TRANSCOM should be prepared to fully leverage the new GHC program. 

"We're going to split this year's peak moving season between our new and legacy systems. There's a new system we've been trying - it's not working very well - and then there's a legacy system that wasn't perfect...those systems can talk to each other and work together, so we're going to use both in every way possible."

Hegseth has now directed TRANSCOM to develop and implement rates similar to the legacy ToS system to increase vendor capacity and ensure that there are enough companies that are willing to move military family household goods.

Problems Under the New Household Goods Shipment Have Been Ongoing

, a privatized company running the military household goods shipment in cooperation with the Department of Defense, military families have been experiencing a number of issues.

As of February, at least 1,000 of the 8,900 shipments initiated under HomeSafe Alliance had experienced problems, according to U.S. Transportation Command.

The issue soon became widespread. On February 28, 2025, a memo was given to pull back some Army shipments to the transportation offices by the Army Personal Property.

This action was done to stop the inefficient and dissatisfied work of private shipments for many years among the affected military families in their permanent change of station.

MyBaseGuide reached out to HomeSafe Alliance, and inquired about the changes that they have implemented to address complaints that military families have raised. 

A HomeSafe Alliance spokesperson provided the following statement:

HomeSafe Alliance is modernizing, digitizing, and transforming the relocation experience for military members and their families through the new Global Household Goods Contract (GHC). Military families and Congress demanded this historic transformation to address long-standing issues with the old military move system. The new GHC program brings innovative technology to streamline the move process, a 24/7 customer care center to support military families, and strict requirements to ensure accountability and high-quality move services.

In these early and developmental stages of the GHC, logistical challenges have caused delays for some moves. We apologize to every affected family. Over the last month, HomeSafe has made significant progress in strengthening our network, and we continue to pursue every available option for growing our capacity. We are working with U.S. Transportation Command to resolve issues and maintain a conditions-based phase-in of the new program.

HomeSafe is taking all the lessons learned and continually improving our systems and processes, including enhancing our customer care operations, updating our technology platform, reshaping our training program for service providers, and hiring additional employees.

Families Share Negative Shipment Experiences and Ill-Prepared Contractor Experiences

Many families have shared their poor moving experiences with HomeSafe, 

Other families have reported their items being late, and not receiving adequate assistance to locate their belongings.

Families have also gone on record to report moving companies not being secured in advance, deliveries not being scheduled as promised, waiting weeks for furniture delivery, and more.

MyBaseGuide followed up with HomeSafe regarding the negative shipment experiences that families have experienced. A HomeSafe Alliance spokesperson provided the following statement:

Regardless of how HomeSafe transports household goods, loads must always be properly secured. We hold ourselves and our service providers to the highest standards to protect the household goods of our service members and their families. 

In any case where a load was not secured, it does not meet our commitment to quality, and we take swift and appropriate action to address the issue and prevent recurrence.

MyBaseGuide reached out to HomeSafe, and requested their comment on how they are addressing the lack of preparation (ie. lack of supplies and scheduling issues) within the assigned contractors. 

Regarding our service providers, we grade them based on our Carrier Quality Index (CQI) score, with timeliness and service as primary factors.

For more information on this, please refer to our fact sheet on 

Additionally, we requested a comment on why moving company information is no longer being given to families prior to their move being scheduled. A HomeSafe Alliance spokesperson provided the following statement:

Families can view their assigned service provider through our technology platform HomeSafe Connect, where they can also access details about the moving crew, including photos of the team members who will be handling their move. This feature allows families to familiarize themselves with their moving team in advance.

 on HomeSafe Connect. This video is also available on our customers page on Homesafealliance.com.

New Memo Directs Transcom to Make Changes

Pete Hegseth is making significant changes to improve moving experiences for military families for the upcoming PCS season. "We're heading into peak season of moving - PCS moving - and that process, I know, has been a mess, and we are addressing it. We have...to take some aggressive action and fast," said Hegseth.

In a memo released on May 20th, 2025, Hegseth directed USTRANSCOM to take the following actions immediately to help support military families during the upcoming 2025 PCS season and beyond: 

In the memo, Hegseth called for the GHC and ToS programs to be held accountable for meeting their KPIs (key performance indicators). They are also required to provide weekly updates to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense and the Office of the USD for Personnel and Readiness. 

He also directed that both the GHC and legacy ToS program be leveraged in a way that ensures maximum coverage for moves during the 2025 PCS season. 

Hegseth directed that offramp non-serviced GHC customer shipments into the ToS program be based on capacity shortfalls. 

He called for the development and implementation of ToS rates to ensure vendor capacity.

Lastly, he called for TRANSCOM to review and implement Economic Price Adjustment provisions in the GHC contract, when appropriate.

In addition to the above directed changes, in the memo, Hegseth directed the formation of a PCS Task Force. 

This task force will be in charge of improving the quality of moving services provided to servicemembers and their families. Additionally, they will, "act decisively to improve, expand, terminate, or transfer GHC or ToS responsibilities as needed."

HomeSafe reached out to MyBaseGuide and provided the following statement in regards to Defense Secretary Hegseth's recent memo.

HomeSafe Alliance is grateful for Defense Secretary Hegseth’s attention to the Global Household Goods Contract and the directives he has issued, which will greatly improve moving experiences for military service members and their families. DoD raising our rates to account for significant inflation from the last four years would substantially benefit our ability to facilitate world-class moving services for our nation’s heroes. We look forward to working with the PCS Task Force to demonstrate how our program modernizes and digitizes the move process and resolves decades-long issues with military relocations. 

Many Are Applauding Hegseth for Taking Action

Despite there being much uncertainty around what will happen next, many movers and military families are applauding Hegseth for taking a leadership stance on this critical issue. 

One such individual is Dan Hilton, the executive director of the American Trucking Association's Moving and Storage Council. 

He released a statement staying, "As we have said from the beginning, the tender of service program worked in the past and continues to work well for service members, despite the challenging environment now created by the failures of the GHC contractor. We’ve continually seen shipments moved from the GHC contractor back into the tender program with minimal notice, reduced compensation, and already impacted service members,” he said. 

“It’s imperative that TRANSCOM better engage members of the industry with actual capacity to find solutions that best meet our service members’ needs. We look forward to mitigating any further decline in service provided to our nations valiant service members and working with the Secretary’s team to help right this ship on behalf of our men and women in uniform.”

Others have applauded Hegseth for holding contractors accountable for damaging or destroying household goods, and for standing up for service members. You can watch the 

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On June 12, 2025, Israel launched a broad attack on Iranian nuclear facilities and military sites, killing at least three high level officers and setting the stage for all-out war between the two Middle Eastern adversaries. Targets included at least six leading nuclear scientists and four senior members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

US President Donald Trump says he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the attacks occurred and that the US was “well informed” before and during the operation. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that US military assets were not directly involved in the attack.

Less than 24 hours later, Iran responded to the Israeli attack by launching a counterattack with more than 100 ballistic missiles that reportedly hit Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. At this point, no deaths have been reported, but property has been damaged.

Trump called the Israeli attack “excellent” and that more attacks should be anticipated. Trump implied that Israel’s attack was in response to Iran failing to reach an agreement with the US on a new nuclear deal within Trump’s established 60-day deadline. The attack came on day 61.

"I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal," Trump wrote. "I told them, in the strongest of words, to 'just do it,' but no matter how hard they tried, no matter how close they got, they just couldn’t get it done. 

I told them it would be much worse than anything they know, anticipated, or were told, that the 

 makes the best and most lethal military equipment anywhere in the World, BY FAR, and that Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come - And they know how to use it."

Just hours after the attack, Israeli sources reported that an Iranian drone had set off an attack warning alarm in northern Israel, and an Israeli military official said that Iran had launched 100 drones at Israel with most being intercepted. Iranian officials denied having launched a counterattack by drone, but did launch an attack with 100 ballistic missiles against Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Iranian officials are not convinced that the USA did not support Israel’s attack and tasked the Swiss Ambassador in Tehran – the US doesn’t have diplomatic personnel there – to deliver a message.

“It is unthinkable that the Zionist regime’s aggressive actions against Iran were carried out without cooperation, coordination, and at least a green light from the US, and in this regard, the US must be held accountable for its illegal behavior in this regard,” the Iranian representative told Nadine Lozano, the Swiss Ambassador to Tehran, according to a statement published on state run IRNA.

Nations from across the globe have largely condemned Israel’s attack and urged both sides to show restraint to avoid intensifying the conflict. 

However, some nations took a different perspective.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, while urging restraint, defended Israel’s right to defend itself and condemned Iran’s “indiscriminate drone attack” in response to the Israeli attack.

Sina Toossi, senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, said in a statement to CNN that, “A large-scale retaliation (by Iran), likely involving drone and missile strikes into Israeli territory, appears imminent.”

Toossi added that, “rather than crippling Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities, Israel’s escalation risks fueling nationalist sentiment, solidifying internal cohesion and triggering a dangerous cycle of retaliation, all while increasing the likelihood of American entanglement.”

This assessment is consistent with previous military exchanges between the two adversaries when back and forth military strikes, while raising concerns, never led to full-blown warfare.

 for years. Iran has utilized a network of militant groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis to target Israeli interests.

In response, Israel has reportedly carried out assassinations of high-ranking Iranian officials and nuclear scientists and launched cyberattacks against Iran. Tensions escalated further following the October 7, 2023 

Following the attack, Iran’s "Axis of Resistance," notably Hezbollah and the Houthis, launched assaults on Israel and Red Sea shipping. This increase in hostilities set off a series of small exchanges.

 Israel bombed the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, killing 16 people, including multiple Iranian officers and the commander of the Quds Force, one of five branches of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps specializing in unconventional warfare and military intelligence operations.

Iran and its proxies struck Israel, targeting military bases. Hezbollah launched dozens of rockets at an Israeli army base in the Golan Heights and utilized a drone to target Israel.

 Israel struck an air defense facility in 

 in retaliation. The strikes were limited and de-escalated tensions.

 Israel planned to return civilians displaced by Hezbollah back to their homes in northern Israel. Over the next two days, thousands of mobile phones, pagers, and walkie-talkies exploded across Lebanon and Syria as part of an Israeli attack on Hezbollah. The attack killed 42 people.

 Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on northern Israeli cities and towns.

 Israel killed two of Hezbollah’s top commanders in a town south of Beirut and began a series of strikes in southern Lebanon.

. The attack also killed the Commander of Hezbollah's Southern Front and the deputy commander of the IRGC and commander of the Quds Force in Lebanon.

: In response, Iran executed the largest attack of the 2024 conflict when it launched approximately 180 ballistic missiles. Israel said it had shot down most of the missiles and there had been no harm to its 

 on Friday, President Trump called on Iranian leadership to make a “deal,” and warned of “even more brutal” attacks if this didn’t happen.

“Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire. No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.” Trump said.

Trump told CNN on Friday that the Israeli strikes were a “very successful attack.” The office of Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu is set to speak with Trump on Friday. 

“So far, Iran has not wanted to be drawn into a direct military conflict with the US, which would be an extremely risky undertaking,” said Iran expert Mahmoudian. 

To destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities, Israel would need more advanced weaponry that only the US would be able to provide.

If this were to occur, Iranian retaliation would likely also target US facilities in the region, which could further destabilize the tense situation in the Middle East.

If recent history is any indicator, this exchange will simply mark another chapter in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict stemming from the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel.

After Iran’s counterattack, the next move belongs to Israel. It is likely that Israel will strike again, as predicted by President Trump, but the length of the current back-and-forth is wildly unpredictable. It is unlikely that either side is interested in letting this expand into a Major Regional Conflict by drawing the US into the fight.

The biggest impact from the current exchange is that talks between US and Iranian officials on a new nuclear agreement, planned for October 15 in Oman, have been indefinitely suspended in the wake of these attacks.

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 moves are a part of military life. While they come with the territory of being in the military, they also a part of your journey.

PCSing is a constant struggle for many families, but just recently, the Pentagon has made a move that could change the lives of thousands of military families.

The Pentagon has issued a new directive: by 2030, military branches must reduce their discretionary PCS budgets by up to 50%. The hope is that PCS moves can finally change in the upcoming years.

PCS Moves are a Normal Part of Military Life

Moving is often more frequent than staying when you are in the military, and PCS moves play a large role. Every two to three years, service members are given new orders, and with those orders comes the expectation that families start over again, somewhere else.

PCS moves are paid for and planned with the government’s support, but this doesn’t mean they are easy by any means. You have to consider different factors, as it is not only 

packing a few boxes or forwarding your mail

 — it’s also your spouse leaving behind a career, your children saying goodbye to their friends, going through the process of figuring out new housing, and the hardest part: starting all over again.

After every move, military spouses find themselves unemployed because they don’t have that many choices. As Tim Dill, a senior defense official, said, 

“There are many aspects to that challenge and that disruption. One of the biggest ones is military spouses’ employment… sometimes they end up underemployed at that location.”

Not only employment but also the community that milspouses have built is at risk of disappearing. Tim Dill went on to explain, 

"They're displaced from the community of support that they've developed over the years in their previous duty station."

Everything is gone with just one move. It’s no wonder that 

 include PCS moves as one of the biggest reasons for dissatisfaction in military life.

On Wednesday, May 28th, the Department of Defense issued a 

instructing all military departments to review what’s happening with PCS moves, especially the discretionary moves.

Just to be clear, the directive is not going to eliminate all PCS moves. Many transfers are still necessary, but they want to make sure that it is all accurate. So, when service members require training, and they are needed in specific mission-critical locations, the relocations will still happen. In simple words, service members could be asked to move far less often.

According to the Pentagon, 80% of PCS moves fall under discretionary. Thus, these moves are not directly required by a mission.

"We estimate that about 80% of [military department] PCS moves are in a discretionary category, and 20% are mandatory," 

"What we're directing the [military] departments to do is purely to examine potential reductions in things that would be defined as discretionary. So, if they see it as mandatory for mission needs. We want them to continue that course of action and do the mandatory moves."

With the new directive, they are instructing all military branches to take a hard look at PCS moves and ask if it’s necessary to relocate a military family.

Over the next 120 days, each military branch is expected to have a plan showing how it can reduce its discretionary PCS budget by 50% with FY2026 as the baseline.

l is mainly to increase geographic stability for families, increase department efficiency, and reduce costs for the department.

In addition, the military has struggled to keep service members in their ranks, mainly because their families are exhausted. So, reducing PCS challenges can help more families.

The Pentagon knows there is no one-size-fits-all solution here. As Dill said, 

“We haven’t directed that any specific course of action must be implemented… We look forward to having that conversation and figuring out how we can do this best.”

In other words, it’s still a work in progress.

As the new directive progresses, there will be questions and concerns. Will fewer moves mean more stability? Or, will it mean just fewer resources? Is the military going to continue to support families during PCS moves, or will the cuts be less helpful with moving costs?

Discretionary moves are going to be minimized. However, the Pentagon has made it clear that mission readiness remains the top priority for all. Thus, if a move is needed to fulfill the missions, then so be it.

It’s too early to know exactly how the PCS moves are going to play out. Though, they need to have this done thoughtfully, as it could be a turning point in how the military understands 

what families are struggling with the most

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 are eligible for a mid-career bonus that is worth 2.5x their monthly base pay?! It is known as Continuation Pay (CP), and is one key distinguishing factor between Blended Retirement and the Legacy System. This bonus was outlined in the original BRS guidance and was set between the eight and twelve year service mark for members to opt in and sign up to serve an additional four years.

Each branch gets to decide when members are able to apply for this one time bonus; however, it's important to note that it disappears after 12 years of service, currently for all branches.

As of late, Army leaders have been working to make changes to the CP. A 

 was released in January of this year, outlining those upcoming changes that are expected to occur over the next 3 years, along with a plan to ensure members are notified every year.

What Does the Current Continuation Pay Military Bonus Look Like?

For CY 2025, no changes have been made compared to what was set in place by the BRS in 2018. Any soldier who has served between eight years and twelve years is eligible to apply for CP.

The bonus requires members to serve an additional four years of Active Duty Service Obligation (ADSO). The bonus is currently set at 2.5 times a soldier's base pay.

It can be paid in one large bonus or in four equal installments. Members also have the option to have the bonus go directly to their Thrift Savings Plan, but need to ensure they stay under the yearly cap.

 is based on their current base pay; both of these increase with time in service and rank.

For enlisted members, the breakdown generally would be that an E-7 with eight years of service would receive $12,396.00, and an E-8 with 11 years would receive $14,226.75.

For Warrant Officers (WO), a WO1 with eight years of service would receive $13,449.75. A Chief Warrant 2 (CW2) with 11 years of service would receive $15,131.25.

Alternatively, for an officer, (an O-3 with eight years of service) the Continuation Pay Bonus is currently $19,569.75, while an O-4 with 11 years of service would receive $22,687.50.

The most significant change set to occur is the

, and the fact that it is then shrinking and moving earlier over the next 3 years. In the past, a 4-year window has been between year 8 and 12.

, this will change, and will include those with 

no less than 7 years to no more than 12 years.

, and the lower threshold will still remain at 

An E-6 at 7 years of service would receive $10,201.50. An E-7 with nine years of service would receive $12,396.00.

Warrant Officers generally don’t transfer from enlisted ranks until eight years, requiring an additional two years of service to reach CW2. This means the highest amount Warrant Officers can receive, with nine years of service, would be $13,449.75.

Alternatively, an O-3 with seven years of service would receive $18,634.50. While an O-3 with nine years of service would receive $19,569.75. Since officers typically do not meet the rank of O-4 until after 10 years of service, there is no adjustment for rank, only time in grade.

These changes are important to keep in mind, as historically it was smart to take continuation pay later to maximize your time in service and your rank-based pay. 

However, this may now not be possible given the changes over the calendar years. Therefore, it is important to map out where you fall related to these changes and your time in service.

Unit Commanders Have a Training & Tracking Requirement

Unit Commanders are required to track and provide counseling to members as they enter the CP window, and before they leave, to help ensure members are aware of the benefit before it expires.

Also, at the end of each fiscal year, units are required to provide an analysis of the CP program.

The report will include a cost benefit analysis of the CP program, and will show the short-term and long-term retention. The Army will use the information provided to help determine future changes for the CP program.

Taking CP can be great for soldiers who are planning to stay in the service. But if your family is currently considering leaving the military, then it is important to discuss the choice with your partner. Also, it is strongly advised that soldiers talk to their installation’s Financial Service Department to determine the best way to use their CP.

Soldiers should take into consideration if they want to invest the money, pay off debt, use it for a family trip, build an emergency fund, or put it towards some other important financial priority.

It can also be split among multiple financial opportunities. Don’t forget that your CP is taxed, and it can be split over four years to reduce the tax bill.

Soldiers interested in applying for their CP need to fill out the 

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