Yeah folks, I know it seems crazy. It definitely wasn't planned, but its something that just came about and something I want to do. My only dilemma as you all know and can probably guess, is what to do about that 9"scar on the back of my head. I have already been cleared by the army's doctor as far as the procedure is concerned. They needed to know if there was any complications and stuff. My only complication is dealing with thousands of people looking at me every day and wondering if I had a brain transplant or something. I feel like I jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Through out basic training I will have to sport a crew cut, but afterwards I can add some length to my hair.

I feel I have all of a sudden become one of those disfigured or burn victims overnight. The funny thing is - it was done voluntarily. Its likes this, I wanted to, w/little regret, to do the HT, and now I want to, and almost have to, join the army. From a psychological stand point, whats the best way to cope with this scar for 9 weeks? Is it a frame of mind thing? a self-esteem issue? Opinions please.... thanx

Yeah folks, I know it seems crazy. It definitely wasn't planned, but its something that just came about and something I want to do. My only dilemma as you all know and can probably guess, is what to do about that 9"scar on the back of my head. I have already been cleared by the army's doctor as far as the procedure is concerned. They needed to know if there was any complications and stuff. My only complication is dealing with thousands of people looking at me every day and wondering if I had a brain transplant or something. I feel like I jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Through out basic training I will have to sport a crew cut, but afterwards I can add some length to my hair.

I feel I have all of a sudden become one of those disfigured or burn victims overnight. The funny thing is - it was done voluntarily. Its likes this, I wanted to, w/little regret, to do the HT, and now I want to, and almost have to, join the army. From a psychological stand point, whats the best way to cope with this scar for 9 weeks? Is it a frame of mind thing? a self-esteem issue? Opinions please.... thanx

Marc-
E-mail me at Hotpr3@aol.com

"Keep punchin'"

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"Keep punchin'"

I'm in the military too. But I had 1" long hair mostly and of course I really cleaned up close around the ears, sides, and neck. So it looked neat even though I usually go 3/8" - 3/4" (#3-#6 blade).
My plan is to go #8, #7, #6 on a monthly basis.
My unit may be mobilized in the near future, so all of us had to update all our records, get new gear, and get a medical screening (not a full physical, though). And of course, a lot of standing in line. No one noticed a thing, or at least, no one said, "how'd you get that scar?" No biggy.
You will have to buzz it for basic. Up to you as to how you want to explain it. If it were me, I'd probably say "it's a long story" and that'll dissuade 90% of people. A vast majority won't say a thing.
Good luck with your upcoming military experience. I respect your resolve.

vocor1

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vocor1
Knowledge is Power
-- If the worst question is the one never asked, then the worst answer is the one never shared.
-- The truth only matters if you know about it.

Jotronic - good advice, thanks. My girl kind of said something similar. She said after a couple hours or maybe days of curiosity, the attention(hopefully none) should subside, and they'll get used to it. btw, i thought of the knife fight already lol, but who do you know that can slash someone with that much precision? Unless maybe you happen to run into an ex-hair transplant doctor in a dark alley....yikes

vocor1 - holy crap, i thought i was the only one.. you dont know how much better i feel. Dude, will I have to buzz for graduation, or can I just let it grow, and then keep it neat? Can you actually make a request as far as the type of cut or style you want? Did you have any bad experiences with drill sergeants poking fun? If they do, how should I respond?

So they are shipping out your unit? Hows are the vibes over there with all the stuff thats going on in Korea and Iraq?

take care

m

marc alvin:
I'm in the Reserves and I didn't have my HT prior to basic. I didn't have to deal with Drill Sergeants "poking fun" at me.
And they will. They are looking for any weakness in you constitution. The key is how you respond to them. Confidently and without hesitation, no matter what you decide on saying. Decisivenss is probably the #1 trait they are looking for. It shows you can be trusted and have leadership potential.
"Private, where the hell'd you get that scar?"
"Drill Sergeant, they cut out part of my brain to prepare me for the Army!"
"That explains a lot. Now move out!"
Drill Sergeant won't be inquisitive unless you give him reason to be. My two cents on that.
Our mobilization would probably be a homeland defense mission. We are in the middle of transitioning and training up on a new weapon system. That plus our manpower issues probably excludes us from a foreign deployment. We'll see. I'm ready for whatever my country needs of me. That is what being in the military is about.

vocor1

__________________
vocor1
Knowledge is Power
-- If the worst question is the one never asked, then the worst answer is the one never shared.
-- The truth only matters if you know about it.

awesome vocor1, will keep that in mind


m

I had my procedure 2 weeks ago. I'm active duty so I took leave and can wear my hair long enough so the scar isn't even visible. According to my Dr (Dr Rob Jones) in a couple of months I should be able to go as short as a 1/4" without a problem. As for basic, yes your scar will be visible and they'll likely "mention" it. Tell them you were in a car accident or something like that. You'll see scars on lots of heads for a variety of reasons so I doubt it will be that big of a deal. Just try and stealth in the group and the scar will be the least of your problems. Best of luck and it's good to know that I'm not the only one.

good thing about being shot in the head, is no one ever asks where I got my awful donor scar from. They all assume it was the bullet.

If someone asks, "Really, what happened?", tell them it was a motorcycle accident and that your helmet sunk into the back of your head. Even a doctor will be fooled with this excuse because an accident like this can really produce a scar similar to that of strip excision.