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Moving to a different country really sucks sometimes. I currently have long hair to my shoulder. I love the way my hair is now, especially since I had a really bad stage that I had to go through to get it the way it is now. I am a Austrian citizen but have never lived there before. Now I am moving there for the first time and just found out that I have to go to the military, because every single Austrian is required to serve 8 month in the military. Unfortunately I will have to cut my hair before I serve my time. I am trying to find a way around this soooo bad, but no luck. One thing's for sure though, I won't grow it out again once it's gone. I can't deal with it again. I have the worst luck. =(
Aw, that's too bad dude, what a shame. I hope you'll change your mind about growing long hair again.
I hope so, too ! I have had cut some of hair, too ! Because it was damaged ! But i grow it out again ! And you can do this, too ! :-)
I cut my hair after having grown it out for 7 years-my hair was falling out and I thought I was going bald...it was cuz of blow drying, perming, etc. that damaged my hair and made my hair reach an early terminal length. I also thought cutting it would get me a job. Neither was true-I still have a full head of hair & I had to go through 2 1/2 years of under and unemployment (I now have a nice job that doesn't care that I have long hair).
Anyway, I'm saying all that just to get to the point that I have been growing my hair out for almost 1 1/2 years. It's easier this time (although I am still in the awkward stage) to grow my hair cuz I know what the end result is gonna be and knew what peeps were gonna say in objection to my growing it out.
Grow it out again if u cann't tie it up!!
Wow-I've wondered about longhaired men & the military. Some women just tie up their longhair in the military. Your hair is long enough to tie it-will they let u do the same thing? Equal rights...right?
If it is in Austria the same like in Germany, then not ! :( It`s hard, but it is so ! :(
I'm not an Austrian, but I think that what happened to me, maybe not the exact same thing, but something similar can help you. I was about to get buzz cutted by the military, but I asked them to make me a physical test, if I failed, I would get rid of them. I have a problem in one eye in which I can barely see, its not noticeable for others, but it has kept me from achieving my dream that is to fly, at least I haven't gotten the health certificate for that. The important thing is that not only an eye, there are about 25 or more reasons why a person can be failed in a physical test. Try it and if you fail you might keep your hair as I did. In a week I'll pick up my certificate and no disgusting clippers will touch my head. Think real hard and see if you can get a good reason to be excused.
You are looking for an excuse to get out of military duty just to avoid the haircut, and enouraging others to do the same. That is not a good sign of character.
Your hair is more important than your country?
Hair is cool. Hair is important. But hair shouldn't be THAT important.
that wasn't how i read it.
maybe what Santiago meant - instead of simply making excuses -was that if he was going to fail the physical anyway (for a real reason, not just to avoid the service) was that it's better to find this out before cutting his hair, not after. There are any number of physical conditions that can keep a person out of the military without interfering in daily life - flat feet, or (for the navy at least) being to tall. Also, if you noticed, Santiago said in his post that his dream was to fly, and (if i understand correctly) the problem with his eye - a real medical condition - would not only prevent him from flying for the military, but as a comercial pilot as well.
there are ways to serve one's country besides joining the military. Are civilians less patriotic because they don't wear a uniform? Longhair aside, a person can have any number of reasons for not wanting to be in the military.
Well said Shirley!
I agree!
Thank you Shirley!
I second that!
I share your hurt, except that I've served 2.5 years and must be ever-ready to return back (to the military) again once they require me to go for "refresher" courses. This liability will last till I'm 40 yrs old :(((
I guess your situation is much less drastic than mine. If your attempt to get yourself excused from military fall through, the worst scenario is to serve them the 8 months and then viola, you can grow it long again :)
Do you have to move there?
No, only half of Austrians. You know which half. :-/
Austria, like all the other EU countries that have military
conscription, has an alternative civil service for people who
object to the army service. It is your *right* to do the
alternative service and thus escape the army and the haircut.
Please do some research on your new home country before moving
there. It will save you a lot of grief.
Grrr
Technically, I believe you could refuse to cut your hair, and there's nothing that they can do about it, as you could take them to the European Courts which would allow you to keep your hair. However, in reality I don't know how that would work!