Women are free to apply for and hold any job in the Navy. However, by law, there are two communities that women are not allowed to join: the Navy SEAL and Navy SWCC communities. Also, due to privacy and living space considerations, women may not apply for Enlisted positions aboard submarines.

For females, the minimum height and weight is 4 feet 10 inches and 90 pounds, while the maximum height and weight is 6 feet 8 inches and 227 pounds. For specific height-weight ratios, please ask a recruiter.

Be sure to wear comfortable exercise attire (i.e., shorts and T-shirt). Undergarments should provide full coverage and support.

The medical examination is the same for men and women, though women also receive a Pap test and a pregnancy test.

If you are a single parent, please contact a recruiter for details on how you can enlist in the Navy. Also, the Navy will normally not allow you to enlist if you have more than two dependents under the age of 18. Need more details? Contact a recruiter.

“Sea Duty” typically lasts about four years (depending on your rating), during which time Sailors are called to serve aboard ships for months at a time. Following “Sea Duty,” Sailors are normally "Stationed” for three years, fulfilling their responsibilities on land.

No. Women undergo the same training as men. Women do have separate living quarters.

Women are expected to maintain the same standards of appearance as men. The only difference is that women are allowed to wear their hair longer, provided it is a style that is easy to maintain and meets certain regulations.

Note that all women entering Basic Training must have hair that reaches no further than the lower edge of the back of the collar. If your hair doesn't meet these guidelines, it will be cut during processing at Basic Training for a nominal fee.

You will be obligated to keep your hair neat, clean and well-groomed. Your haircut and style should present a balanced appearance. Ponytails, pigtails, widely spaced individual hanging locks and braids that stick out from your head are not allowed. You can, however, have multiple braids.

Yes, you can color your hair, but it must look natural and complementary.

You may wear a wig or hairpiece while in uniform or duty status, but it may be worn only for cosmetic reasons (i.e., to cover natural baldness or physical disfigurement). If you’re a Reservist, you can wear a wig or hairpiece while engaged in training.

You are not permitted to have beads or any other decorative items braided into your hair. You can wear a maximum of two small barrettes, combs and/or clips, as long as they are similar to your hair color. Additional matching bobby pins or rubber bands may also be used to hold your hair in place, if necessary. Fabric elastic bands are not authorized.

Cosmetics may be applied in good taste so that colors blend with your natural skin tone and enhance your natural features. You may wear lipstick and nail polish as long as the colors are complementary and conservatively worn. You are not permitted to wear long false eyelashes while in uniform.