Public Reaction to Military Hair Standards Divided After Photo Surfaces

A photo shared on the Complaint Singapore Facebook page, originally posted by the Republic of Singapore Navy, has ignited a discussion over the appearance of navy personnel. The image, which depicted members of the Navy during the Keel Laying Ceremony for the Multi-Role Combat Vessel (MRCV) at ST Engineering Marine Limited, was accompanied by a comment questioning the professionalism of the sailors’ hairstyles.

The post highlighted a key moment in the MRCV project, which is slated to be operational by 2028, and featured personnel from the 8th Flotilla HQ. While the comment about the “unprofessional” appearance of the sailors, which showed short haircuts on men and ponytails on women, drew some criticism, other social media users voiced strong support, stating that there was nothing inappropriate about the sailors’ hairstyles.

The online debate focused on whether such personal grooming standards should be scrutinized in the context of military professionalism, or if they reflected outdated or unnecessary norms.