Key Takeaways: 

• Great Clips salons honor military veterans on Veterans Day (U.S.) and Remembrance Day (participating salons in Canada) each year by providing complimentary haircuts to veterans and active-duty service members 

• Two veterans working as barbers at a franchised Great Clips salon on base at Fort Hood share their appreciation for their salon team, community, and customer base, as well as ongoing training opportunities 

For 14 years, Great Clips® has celebrated Veterans Day in the U.S. and Remembrance Day at participating salons in Canada by offering veterans and active military service members free haircuts. Since the program's inception in 2012, Great Clips salons have provided more than 2.8 million free haircuts – valued at over $43 million. To further honor the men and women who serve, we sat down with two veterans, Nicole and Marlow, who are barber-stylists at the franchised Great Clips salon on base at Fort Hood in Texas. We asked about their retirement careers in the salon, and the parallels between the military and cutting hair. One thing that’s clear: these two know how to run a tight operation. 

Q: You both have retired from long and rewarding careers in the military. How did you choose barbering for your next act? 

Nicole: I served in the Navy for 20 years as a gunner’s mate, then a master-at-arms, and a police officer on base. I’ve worked overseas in Africa, Japan, and Cuba. I knew that I wanted to do something that allowed me to continue serving the community. I like meeting and talking with people, learning about them, and educating them. My brother is a barber in Shreveport, and I could see the possibilities.  

Marlow: I cut hair as a kid to make extra money. When I was 12 or 13, I was either cutting hair or cutting grass. I was clipping something! When I joined the Army, I cut hair in Korea, Germany, and Iraq, and then stateside at Fort Riley and Fort Sill. But once I started gaining more responsibilities in the military, I had to drop the barbering. For over 20 years I climbed the ranks, ultimately becoming a command sergeant major and operations sergeant major (G3) of the largest division of the U.S. Army. After retiring, my daughter saw me cutting my father-in-law’s hair. She told my wife that I looked like I had so much peace. She was right! That’s when I decided to cut hair. 

Q: Are there any skills that carried over from your military background to the salon environment? 

Nicole: Teamwork is one thing, for sure. We run things efficiently here. I come early to make sure my station is ready, and I still follow chain of command: the assistant manager and the manager. I pay attention to detail and keep my station clean. From a customer service perspective, I use a lot of the skills I developed as a military police officer. I talk and listen, while not overcommunicating, so as to respect boundaries. I see soldiers every day here and love educating them. In my military career, I’d say, “Hey, you’re speeding.” Now I say, “Hey, your hair is kind of dry.” Of course, I follow it up with “You might want to give this product a try!”   

Marlow: It’s teamwork for me, too. I’m an old combat soldier. We always operate as a team. When one person is down, we step up. Veterans bring that to the table. People follow my lead. If you’re cutting hair beside me, you know I’ll clean your station while you’re checking out a customer if it helps keep things moving. I’m not here to outshine; I want my teammates to know we are in this together, side by side.  

Q: What’s it like cutting hair on an active military base? 

Nicole: I feel proud to be here! My dad was a veteran. I’m a veteran. And now I’m cutting soldiers’ hair. Our team really values the soldiers here, and Great Clips does, too. I feel supported by my salon’s leadership.   

Marlow: In the military, you’re serving your country. In barbering, you’re serving your community. We get the chance to mentor people in the chair. Think about those conversations! You pour into customers, and they pour into you, too. I love being in touch with soldiers here at Fort Hood. I had one of my old platoon sergeants in the chair, and he asked me what I thought about a situation. I gave him my advice because my experience is still relevant.  

Q: What are the most popular haircut requests on base? 

Nicole: I’d say the mid-drop fade and low fade. They like to push it! 

Marlow: Seventy-five percent of my haircuts are drop fades. 

Q: What would you say to other veterans who are looking for their next role? 

Nicole: Don’t sleep on a job opportunity at a franchised Great Clips salon. We are busy here and I’ve learned more from the management team at my salon than I learned in 18 months at barber college. The education Great Clips offers is awesome. You get one-on-one support, you can sign up for classes, and you have opportunities to advance your career into management or even the Great Clips National Design Team. Our salon manager Zau is on the design team. She travels, represents Great Clips at industry events, teaches classes, and creates content. There’s room to grow here. 

Marlow: Great Clips salons are great for someone who is coming out of the military, or barbering school. You get a lot of reps and sets here. I appreciate how it’s structured, so you can go online and do extra training. If you want to learn how to do a specific haircut, you can register for a class. I love the continuing education. It’s paramount that you continue to educate yourself and stay up to date. You’ve got to keep training! If you land at a Great Clips salon, you’re blessed to be in a shop where they bring you the education and the customers.  

Are you ready for your next mission? 

Find available opportunities at franchised Great Clips® salons near you. 

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All Great Clips® salons are independently owned and operated by third-party franchisees. Franchisees, not Great Clips, Inc., are responsible for all hiring and personnel matters at their individual salons.