Private Moses Brave Heart, a member of the South Dakota Army National Guard (SDNG) and the Oglala Sioux Tribe, was granted the right to grow his hair, an important cultural symbol in his tradition. Lakota.
Raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Brave Heart cut his hair in 2020 to join the North Dakota National Guard, unaware that there were exceptions for religious and cultural reasons.
During a mission in 2022-2023, he learned about the possibility of applying for an exemption, thanks to the support of Captain Nathan Johnson. In May 2023, the Department of Defense approved his request.
Among the Lakota, long hair represents strength, connection to ancestors, and spirituality, and is only cut as a sign of mourning.
Brave Heart is now using this opportunity to raise awareness of the cultural value of long hair and to demonstrate that one can serve in the military without having to give up one's cultural identity.
Photo: US Army
