African American woman discharged from the Navy for her ten year old hairstyle

After 12 years of serving her country! Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Jessica Sims was honorably discharged August 22, 2014 for refusing to cut her natural locs hairstyle.

The Navy stated that her locs, whoch she has worn since 2005, were out of regulation and that the bulkiness of her hair could potentially prevent her from wearing safety equipment and headgear. Recently, the military has come under fire by some for its regulatory policies regarding hairstyles that bans the vast majority of natural hairstyles worn by African American women.

A week prior to Sims’ discharge, the Defense Department announced that the Navy would be relaxing its hair regulations to allow two strand twists, as well as multiple hanging braids that are otherwise in regulation for length. Even with the relaxed regulations the Navy still has not clearly addressed enlisted soldiers being able to wear neatly kept dreadlocks or locs.

-Nakeasha Johnson(@NakeashaJ)