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Good grooming and personal appearance instills pride and self-confidence in U.S. Naval Sea Cadets. All cadets are expected to be clean and well groomed at all times. Uniforms are expected to be clean and pressed with all patches and name tapes attached securely in the proper position. Your cadet will be taught grooming customs and traditions early so they may move into the regular unit with as little disruption as possible. You can help by being aware of the following grooming standards and reminding your son or daughter that these are the grooming expectations while in uniform.
Males: Hair must be short, above ears, no sideburns and no facial hair. Nails trimmed even with end of finger and clean. No earrings are to be worn, a religious medal may be worn if it is not visible.
Females: Hair must not fall below the bottom of the collar. If long, it must be put up and pinned flat against the head. Ponytails and braids are not allowed. Hairpins should match the hair color. Makeup should be light and natural looking if worn and jewelry should be one pair of silver ball earrings only. A religious medal may be worn if not visible.
Fingernails may not be more than ¼ inch past the end of finger. The use of light natural nail polish is acceptable.
Dirt and other debris can easily embed into leather. Therefore, your shoes or boots need to be cleaned before polishing. Use a damp cloth to remove excess dirt and debris. To polish your shoes effectively, always remove the shoelaces from your shoe before you start polishing your shoes. This is the best way to get to clean the tongue of the shoe and avoid staining the laces. Shoe polish or creams should be applied evenly with a brush or soft cloth. Once the polish has properly dried, simply buff to a brilliant shine using a natural bristle brush. Note: it is important to use a separate brush and cloth for applying and buffing different colored shoes. Cadets are not authorized to wear patent leather shoes.
The black silk neckerchief is worn by NSCC male and female cadets with all jumper-style tops. Wear the rolled neckerchief with a large square knot, tied at the bottom of the V-neck opening of jumper, with ends of the neckerchief even. The upper edge of the knot should be even with point where the collar opens.
