Indigenous South Dakota Soldier Gets OK to Grow Long Hair

RAPID CITY, S.D. - Native American Spc. Moses Brave Heart of the South Dakota Army National Guard's 235th Military Police Company is growing his hair long after receiving an exception to policy.

Brave Heart is a member of the Oglala Sioux tribe and grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation. He cut his hair to join the North Dakota National Guard in 2020 and transferred to the SDNG in April 2024.

"I knew I wanted to go into law enforcement and the military, and at the time thought, well, I can only do that with short hair and that's how it's got to be," said Brave Heart.

When he joined, he didn't know there was such a thing as religious accommodation, and he accepted that the standards were set and there was nothing to do about it.

"I cut my hair knowing it was going to be for a good reason, for a career, so I made the sacrifice because I knew that if I kept it long, I wouldn't be able to join," said Brave Heart.

Within the Lakota culture, long hair is an extension of the spirit, typically only cut for grief and loss purposes, where it's then buried or burnt. Apart from those circumstances, their hair is grown and kept neat, representing strength, connection to ancestors, memories and joy.

"One person that really helped me a lot was Capt. Johnson, he was really excited about it and wanted to help me push it forward," said Brave Heart. "I just gathered up whatever I could and gave it to him and he just put all the pieces together."

Brave Heart learned of the possibility of an exception to policy while deployed in 2022-2023. He credits Capt. Nathan Johnson in the NDNG's 131st Military Police Battalion.

"The thing that really pushed me was that I wanted to be in uniform and also express my culture, and long hair is significant in all Native American tribes. So being in the Army and being told 'Be All You Can Be,' well this is a part of me, and Capt. Johnson was really excited and supportive to help me get this," said Brave Heart.

In May 2023, Brave Heart's exception to policy was approved by the Department of Defense and he began to let his hair grow. This expression of his Lakota culture also allowed him to educate those around him and in his own culture on the strides the military is making.

"In uniform, there has definitely been some with an old mindset that staying disciplined means that men should have short hair in uniform, and sometimes the looks could really push someone to give up and be like, 'OK, I don't want to do this anymore,' but I just turn it all into noise because I'm being strong in my beliefs and culture," said Brave Heart.

Brave Heart said part of being in the military is fighting for people's freedoms and rights. He is focused on educating others that it's possible to join the military without cutting their hair. He also hopes his journey will lead to a better understanding by his fellow citizen warriors about the cultural significance of their hair.

During American Indian Heritage Month in November, stories like this help highlight the diversity and culture of the SDNG and the U.S. military - supporting the mission of a ready force.