New Navy regs allow sailors to keep their hands in pockets, wear false eyelashes

The Navy may have found an answer to its daunting recruiting challenges: Sailors in uniform can now put their hands in their pockets.

The decision to lift the service’s decades-long ban was announced Wednesday in an official bulletin known as a “Navadmin” that also addressed changes to uniform items worn by female sailors.

“The restriction on placing hands in pockets while in uniform is rescinded. Sailors are authorized to have their hands in their pockets when doing so does not compromise safety nor prohibit the proper rending of honors and courtesies,” according to the document signed by Vice Admiral Richard Cheeseman, the chief of naval personnel.

In addition to the pocket policy shift, female sailors are now authorized to wear false eyelashes or extensions, so long as they project a “natural appearance” and are no more than 14 millimeters long, according to Wednesday’s Navadmin.

Wednesday’s change canceled the Navy’s previous policy, which held that it was “inappropriate and detracts from a professional military appearance for personnel to hand their hands in their pockets.”

“All personnel shall comply with these regulations and be available to teach others the correct war of Navy uniforms. Exemplary military appearances should be the norm for uniformed personnel,” the past policy said.

A Pentagon official wondered how the Navy’s Chiefs — the senior non-commissioned officers and zealous enforcers of the service’s policies and traditions — would react to the change.

“They’re not going to be able to yell at the sailors for having their hands in their pockets,” he said.

A military veteran on the Reddit social messaging site joked that the previous policy was necessary in any combat operation.

“If your hands are in your pockets, the enemy will win 100% of the time,” the Reddit commentator said. “This is to save sailors from not getting killed by our nation’s enemies.”

While easing some standards, the Navy is keeping some eyelash restrictions in place, however.

“False eyelash color will match the color of the natural eyelash. Eyelash extensions cannot hinder wear of protective eyewear,” the Navy memo said.