Haircuts are a must in Afghanistan

9 Jul 07

Forget crimps and curls, tints and blow dry, soldiers both male and female are queuing up at their local hair salon for a simple short back and sides.

Except the salon in question is in Afghanistan and the only styles available are a short back and sides or a crew cut!
 
The ‘hairdressers’ responsible for introducing this service are Captain Emily Brookes and Corporal Marie Delaney. The duo, currently attached to the 1st Battalion The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment deployed in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, have taken it upon themselves to provide the hairdressing service. All the proceeds are expected to go to charity.

Captain Brookes who is the Senior Medical Officer for the Gereshk outpost, said:

"It’s never easy to get your hair cut whilst on operations especially when you’re serving in an outstation and the priorities are on the dangerous job at hand. So to have a means to have a hair cut and to give to charity at the same time is a bonus.

"I’m not exactly an expert when it comes to cutting hair but the basics l can do, as long as no one expects a perm! All the monies raised go towards a good cause and we are never short of soldiers wanting their hair cut," she continued.

Corporal Delaney added with a smile:

"I’m a dab hand at short back and sides and crew cuts now. I just can’t do anything more complicated. l did make a bit of a mess of the Battalion Operation’s Officer’s hair but at least everyone else found the funny side. I’m sure he has forgiven me now."

All monies raised will go towards the Army Benevolent Fund which raises financial support for ex Army personnel; a cause very much in the minds of the serving soldiers currently deployed on operations.

The duo will return with the 1st Battalion Worcester and Sherwood Foresters to Hounslow, London in October 2007 after completing their six month tour.

The Battalion, who have been on public duties for the past two years, underwent an intense training package in preparations for the Afghanistan tour. The one element they were not trained in was cutting hair.

This will be their last tour under the famous cap badge of The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters as they will re-cap badge to the 2nd Mercian Regiment in September while on operations.