Are ear piercings allowed?

[Ajczdabomb]

Hello,
I was going to get my left ear pierced. However, I realized it might not be acceptable in CAP. So please tell me, are we allowed to have ear piercings?

[MIKE]

1-6. a. Appearance of Men in Uniform. Articles such as wallets, pencils, pens, watch chains, fobs,
pins, jewelry, handkerchiefs, combs, cigars, cigarettes, pipes, and sunglass cases will not be exposed on the
uniform. The wear of wristwatches and rings is permitted. The wear of identification bracelets is likewise
permitted provided they present a neat and conservative appearance. Conservative sunglasses may be worn,
except in military formation. Ribbons, when worn, will be clean and not frayed. Wear of earrings,
ornamentation on eyeglass lenses, or visible ornaments around the neck are prohibited while in uniform.

[Ajczdabomb]

1-6. a. Appearance of Men in Uniform. Articles such as wallets, pencils, pens, watch chains, fobs,
pins, jewelry, handkerchiefs, combs, cigars, cigarettes, pipes, and sunglass cases will not be exposed on the
uniform. The wear of wristwatches and rings is permitted. The wear of identification bracelets is likewise
permitted provided they present a neat and conservative appearance. Conservative sunglasses may be worn,
except in military formation. Ribbons, when worn, will be clean and not frayed. Wear of earrings,
ornamentation on eyeglass lenses, or visible ornaments around the neck are prohibited while in uniform.

thanks

[RogueLeader]

In case some females check this out, yes they are allowed.  Just one set of post ear-rings, no hoop or dangely (sp?) types though.

[Gunner C]

Also (for women) they must be in the earlobe, not anywhere else.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

In my first unit we had a cadet who insisted on showing up with an earring while in uniform.  His uniform was always in good order; it was just the chunk of metal in his ear.

Both myself (deputy commander) and the unit CC warned him and the finally the unit CC put him on restriction from wearing the uniform, so he quit coming to meetings.  I don't think he ever advanced past C/A1C.

The last I heard he was joining the National Guard.  I'm sure the Drill Sergeants would have loved it had he shown up at Basic Training with such ornamentation.

If someone wants to wear an earring on their own time, that's one thing, but not in uniform per the stipulations Mike quoted.

[AirAux]

To answer the question, there are no Reg's against having your ear/ears pierced.  That was the question, was it not??

[DC]

To answer the question, there are no Reg's against having your ear/ears pierced.  That was the question, was it not??

No. If you are a guy, wearing earrings is a no-no. For girls, one plain one in each ear lobe is okay.

I would presume that if your ear(s) are already pierced and healed, it would be acceptable to remove your earrings while in uniform, however, if you are just having them pierced, the studs must remain in your ear for several weeks, I believe, to allow the wound to heal. Other wise the hole will close up. During that healing time the member would not be allowed to wear a uniform.

[AirAux]

Okay, let's try this again.  It is okay to have your ears pierced.  Your piercings will not grow shut during your 2 1/2 hour meeting each week.  You may wear whatever you want to outside of CAP.  So in spite of others exuberance to try to discourage you by answering questions you didn't ask, ear piercings are allowed.  You do not have to wear earrings 24/7 to keep them open.  You may not wear earrings during CAP activities. (However, you never asked that question because you already knew that answer)  So to repeat and make it clear for others, you may pierce your ears and be in CAP.   Now, how hard is it to answer a simple question straight forward???

[Eclipse]

Now, how hard is it to answer a simple question straight forward???

Well, Mike answered it in the first round with a no-comment cite of the regulation.

Why did you feel it necessary to "clarify"?

[DC]

Okay, let's try this again.  It is okay to have your ears pierced.  Your piercings will not grow shut during your 2 1/2 hour meeting each week.  You may wear whatever you want to outside of CAP.  So in spite of others exuberance to try to discourage you by answering questions you didn't ask, ear piercings are allowed.  You do not have to wear earrings 24/7 to keep them open.  You may not wear earrings during CAP activities. (However, you never asked that question because you already knew that answer)  So to repeat and make it clear for others, you may pierce your ears and be in CAP.   Now, how hard is it to answer a simple question straight forward???

Not everything can be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no', or even in one sentence. Can you have pierced ears? Yes. But leaving it there ignores the relevant fact that you cannot wear your earrings in uniform, and the very different rules that apply to our female membership. There is no black and white in life, only varying shades of gray. (Like pants with the golf shirt uniform!  )

[NIN]

Now, how hard is it to answer a simple question straight forward???

Well, Mike answered it in the first round with a no-comment cite of the regulation.

Why did you feel it necessary to "clarify"?

I think he was differentiating between 'having your ear pieced" and "having your ear pierced and wearing an earring" while in uniform.

Per CAPM 39-1, it is acceptable to have your ear pierced.  It is not, however, acceptable to have your ear pierced and wear an earring while wearing the military-style uniform.

(slightly off this topic: anybody dealt with a cadet, potential cadet, etc with those 'gauge' holes in their ears? Whats the guidance there?  Guy comes in, says "I want to be a cadet" and he's got these big gaping nasty grommets in his ears.  Can he wear the military-style uniform if he takes the hardware out?  I encounter this a lot with my skydiving students, but never encountered it with folks in a uniform...)

[PHall]

Okay, let's try this again.  It is okay to have your ears pierced.  Your piercings will not grow shut during your 2 1/2 hour meeting each week.  You may wear whatever you want to outside of CAP.  So in spite of others exuberance to try to discourage you by answering questions you didn't ask, ear piercings are allowed.  You do not have to wear earrings 24/7 to keep them open.  You may not wear earrings during CAP activities. (However, you never asked that question because you already knew that answer)  So to repeat and make it clear for others, you may pierce your ears and be in CAP.   Now, how hard is it to answer a simple question straight forward???

Not everything can be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no', or even in one sentence. Can you have pierced ears? Yes. But leaving it there ignores the relevant fact that you cannot wear your earrings in uniform, and the very different rules that apply to our female membership. There is no black and white in life, only varying shades of gray. (Like pants with the golf shirt uniform!  )

It's not that easy...

Can you have pierced ears? Yes, within limits. If they're small holes, like for a stud or post, you're good to go. If you're talking about the bigger holes you get when you go the gauged route, you have a problem.
Because even if you take those out you're still left with a very noticable hole.

[SarDragon]

Now, how hard is it to answer a simple question straight forward???

Well, Mike answered it in the first round with a no-comment cite of the regulation.

Why did you feel it necessary to "clarify"?

I think he was differentiating between 'having your ear pieced" and "having your ear pierced and wearing an earring" while in uniform.

Per CAPM 39-1, it is acceptable to have your ear pierced.  It is not, however, acceptable to have your ear pierced and wear an earring while wearing the military-style uniform.

(slightly off this topic: anybody dealt with a cadet, potential cadet, etc with those 'gauge' holes in their ears? Whats the guidance there?  Guy comes in, says "I want to be a cadet" and he's got these big gaping nasty grommets in his ears.  Can he wear the military-style uniform if he takes the hardware out?  I encounter this a lot with my skydiving students, but never encountered it with folks in a uniform...)

The USMC makes recruits get them "fixed" while they are at boot camp. I would strongly discourage doing that to their ears in the first place. <cringes>

[AirAux]

I would discourage piercings also.  I feel that way too often members of this board give references to Reg's that do not truly answer direct questions.  Mike's response did not address piercings in any way.  It seems to me that to reference a Reg instead of a direct answer implies some type of superioity, such as "we have no time for you, read the Reg's you lazy swine."  This implies a certain intolerance of the board and I feel discourages new members from posting questions.  If you know the answer, post it.  If not, don't post a reference to a Reg, especially one that doesn't answer the question.  Now along different lines, I also must question if we could disallow membership to a cadet with the large holes in their ears.  If they show up with holes and no earrings or whatever they call those large hoop things they use, I think we would have to accept them due to our acceptance of disabled members, etc.  After all, they are basically disfigured and I am sure we can't discriminate due to disfigurement, right? 

[Eclipse]

It seems to me that to reference a Reg instead of a direct answer implies some type of superioity, such as "we have no time for you, read the Reg's you lazy swine."  This implies a certain intolerance of the board and I feel discourages new members from posting questions.

No, its called being taught to fish instead of being fed.  The cadet program, especially, teaches self-sufficiency and initiative. Rare is the case that a question here could not be answered via the Knowledgebase, Google, or reading the regs yourself (probably referenced by Google).

What we see here all too often is people who simply can't be bothered to look things up for themselves (even more fun are those who can't be bothered, yet want to argue with the response they receive), or ask their local commanders because they want to get plenty of ammunition for an argument before they walk into the meeting.

Even in the cases where some ICL's and regs conflict, or there is legit gray area, in most cases the intent is clear and people just want to make "Supreme Court of the CAP" arguments about some behavior they want to continue.  And the over-arching thread in most cases is "you can't tell me what to do...".

Mike's response is the only one possible, since anything else is conjecture based on interpretation.  There is no further comment in the regs regarding "piecing", per-se, and rare is the cadet, or senior, who pokes holes in themselves simply for the hole itself - they want to wear ornamentation for whatever reason.

Anything beyond that is an interpretation that may or may not be acceptable, locally.

After all, they are basically disfigured and I am sure we can't discriminate due to disfigurement, right?

I would offer that those people do not consider themselves "disfigured".

Anything past what Mike quoted would have to fall under some interpretation of "unprofessional appearance", etc.  The reality is that most people inclined to makes themselves look "different" in the ways we are describing, are also likely to be disinclined to be involved with a paramilitary program that has the expectations of conformance and performance that CAP does.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

The USMC makes recruits get them "fixed" while they are at boot camp. I would strongly discourage doing that to their ears in the first place. <cringes>

Agreed 100%.  Maybe I'm just getting old, but I see enough hardware to load up an A-10 on some people and just don't get it.

Does the Corps' "encouragement" come with a little gentle admonition from the DI's once the recruit steps off the bus at Parris Island/San Diego?

I toyed with getting an ear pierced when I was a kid...until my old man said "not unless you want me to rip it out of your ear."

I would see it as a common-sense thing...I mean, I just don't get it about putting these massive holes in one's earlobes and putting something like the barrel of a .357 in them...but obviously a middle-aged guy and a young person's idea of "common sense" are probably different in that respect.

I would steer such a question toward pictures in 39-1 and the CAP website to illustrate that in a paramilitary organisation connected with the Air Force, that no, we don't do that.

[Майор Хаткевич]

I had a professor last winter quarter (saw him yesterday, thus bringing him up).

He is a Vietnam Vet and a tenured professor at my University. He has his left ear lobe pierced.

How does that reflect on his common sense? It's stylish, for whatever reason. >I< wouldn't do it, but have male friends that have. Some even have both done, which I think is over the top, but only because it makes them look more feminine, even if he does sport a full beard.

[Gunner C]

Which school?  Does his last name start with a "W"?  Sorry, had to ask.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Which school?  Does his last name start with a "W"?  Sorry, had to ask.

A "B" actually, 5 letters.

DePaul University, Chicago.