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A member of the National Guard is a true “Brave Heart,” whose tribe’s warriors are just as famous as the Scottish warrior portrayed in the 1995 American epic historical drama film directed and produced by Mel Gibson, “Braveheart.
Spc. Moses Brave Heart of the South Dakota Army National Guard’s 235th Military Police Co. has served in the National Guard for the last five years and has begun the regrowth of his hair after finally receiving his exception to policy in August of 2023.
Brave Heart is a member of the Oglala Sioux tribe and grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation for most of his life.
The Oglala Sioux Tribe is one of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people and part of the Great Sioux Nation, which is known for the historical struggle against westward expansion by European settlers.
They were forced onto the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota following the discovery of gold in the Black Hills in 1874.
Two famous Oglala tribe leaders are Red Cloud and Crazy Horse, who fought to preserve their traditional way of life against U.S. government encroachment on their land.
Red Cloud, a prominent Oglala chief, played a significant role in resisting white encroachment by successfully closing the Bozeman Trail.
Crazy Horse, another important Oglala warrior, is known for his bravery in the Battle of Little Bighorn.
In 1890, the Oglala tribe was involved in one of the most infamous war crimes the US Army has ever committed.
During what has been known as the “Wounded Knee Massacre,” U.S. cavalry troops massacred hundreds of unarmed Oglala Sioux.
The Army awarded 20 Medal of Honors to soldiers during what was then referred to as the “Battle of Wounded Knee.”
One Army Sergeant was even awarded the Medal of Honor for his participation in the massacre.
“While the Indians were concealed in a ravine, assisted men on the skirmish line, directing their fire, etc., and using every effort to dislodge the enemy.”
Despite the US Army’s history of violence against his tribe, in 2020, Moses Brave Heart made the difficult decision to cut his hair to join the North Dakota National Guard and transferred to the SDNG in April of 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 initially didn’t know there was such a thing as a religious accommodation, and he originally accepted that the standards were set and there’s nothing really 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 types of circumstances their hair is grown and kept neat as it represents 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 was deployed in 2022-2023 and during this time learned of the possibility of an exception to policy. His journey began in October of 2022, and he credits Capt. Nathan Johnson, in the NDNG’s 131st Military Police Battalion, for his help as they worked on this passion project during the length of the deployment.
“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 of 2023, Brave Heart’s exception to policy was approved by the Department of Defense and he began to let his hair regrow. This expression of his Lakota culture also allowed him to embrace the opportunity to educate those around him and within his own culture on the strides the military is making.
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