dred locks

> I would just like to know why dredlocks are considered faddish. I am in the military and want to twist my hair, the precursor to dredlocks. I am not doing it for religious reasons, but more for ease of hair care. I am already culturally grounded so it is not a cultural or ethnic statement I am looking for. I also understand that because I am in the military they would have to be kept neat and shorter in length which is fine by me. Some see it as a fad and my Air Force regulation tells me that military men will not have a faddish or extreme hair style. I need information on the "roots" of dredlocks so I may demonstrate that it is not a fad, but a tradidtion for many, many years in the carribean and parts of Africa. Please advise.ThanksSSgt Maurice D. ShawUSAF, Medical Lab TechAlso I need to be able to provide my superiors that dred locks can be and are worn in a professional enviroment.