For the past 15 years I have kept my hair very short.
If I let it grow out I look like Einstein so I simply keep it clipped.
About 15 years ago at Camp Perry one of the Marine NCOs gave me a 'Navy Reg' haircut which was my style for a couple of years until I decided it was also too much maintenance and simply went to a high and tight which was easier to maintain.
A few years ago I went to a shave everything but the top and clip that down to about a quarter inch which looks stupid for a couple of days but grows in nicely. It works and makes sense to me and looks OK.
Truth is the difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is about two weeks.
Back in the service I never could understand all the stupidity regarding hair. I was a GI and figured I was expected to look like one. I ran with 'presentable' as my standard and eventually was told to get a haircut which I did only I simply got myself a basic training shaved head which I sported until just before I got out.
One day my battery commander casually asked me about it. He was just curious. I simply said that hair was the stupidest thing in the world to worry about and I just wanted to shut everybody up. I had better things to do than measure hair length and argue with Top about it which many soldiers did. I told him I thought the whole thing was ridiculous and it saved me money because I could grow it more between haircuts.
He shrugged and said it was fine by him. He said that a specific length was mandated simply because something like 'neat and well groomed' was subject to interpretation and then we're all in trouble. I agreed.
I think the whole haircut thing came to a head when some private told Top "If the army wanted my hair cut they would give it to me for free."
That was about the stupidest thing I ever heard someone say in the Army.
I was the unit armorer and was in the supply room. There was a barber kit there that was allegedly for 'field use', it had hand clippers that looked like they were for shearing sheep. There was also a set of electric clippers elsewhere. I seriously doubt they had ever been used.
I got a call from Top and he told me to give Private Gino a haircut.
I protested. "I'm a pretty lousy barber, Top."
"That's why I picked you." he said. "Peel him like a grape."
Private Gino walked in and asked me how long I had been cutting hair. "First time," I replied. "I'm just going to shear you like a sheep because that's all I know how to do. Don't worry. It'll probably grow back in in OK."
Private Gino turned around and ran to the barber shop.
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I just got reminded of a small incident that happened to me in the Army.
I was probably still an E-2 and was coming out of the chow line and an officer stopped me and took my tray and told me to get myself another one. For a second I was WTF?
The lieutenant said to me "I want a typical meal to eat. I'm OOD and am checking out the mess hall."
"Fair enough, Sir. It's actually in my best interest. For a half second I thought you were too lazy to go through the chow line but figured there was probably a pretty good reason."
I just went to the head of the line and filled up another tray for myself.
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