FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
At first glance, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command’s Public Affairs Officer Army Maj. Patrick Sorensen may appear to be a Caucasian male with a long, braided ponytail. Born to a Caucasian mother and Native American father in Northern California, Sorensen is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grande Rode, Oregon, despite never living on a reservation.
Sharing his heritage, the Army officer used storytelling to highlight the importance of maintaining one’s identity and strength amidst adversity during the McNamara Headquarters Complex’s National American Indian Heritage Month Nov. 13.
“As Native Americans, we believe our hair gives us our strength,” he said. “Some say it is actual physical strength, for some it’s spiritual strength, or maybe it’s a better connection with the natural world.”
Sorensen was not sure which of them happened to him but recalls having shaggy hair before joining the Army. Cutting his hair to join the Army, Sorensen said he immediately became weak, like Samson in the Bible. As his hair grew back at advanced individual training, Sorensen said he regained his strength, enabling him to win awards for technical and physical performance.
A short time later after his mother passed away from cancer, Sorensen cut his hair again. In his Native American tradition, it’s customary for a male to shave their head as an outward sign of grief. Sorenson shared he took the death of his mother very hard and kept his head shaved for over 10 years after her passing.
“When the mourning period is passed, you grow your hair again,” he said. “It is a sign of growth and that you are moving forward in life.”
He later went on to attend Officer Candidate School to become an Army officer.
As an officer, Sorensen deployed to Afghanistan where he lost two soldiers from injuries sustained during combat. Another two soldiers died from suicide after that deployment.
Today, Sorensen wears four different feathers in his hair in their honor, and one additional feather given to him by a spiritual advisor in the Native American community.
“It is my responsibility to carry these feathers for the rest of my life to honor my fellow warriors who didn’t make it,” he said. “As a Native American, growing my hair is not only a symbol of my own spiritual growth and moving [forward], but it is also the device to which we wear our feathers properly on our head.”
“You got to have hair to wear your feathers,” Sorensen explained.
DLA Director Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly highlighted the important role the special emphasis programs play in fostering a culture of respect and understanding.
“Our observances are not only a time to honor the traditions and history of often underappreciated communities, but also to acknowledge the resilience and strength that has defined their journey,” he said. “Through their experiences, we create more supportive and effective organizations that are better equipped to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
Simerly noted how the event’s theme, “Affirming Native Voices: Visibility, Leadership, Service,” aimed to combat stereotypes and highlight the significant leadership roles Native Americans and Alaskan Natives have played and continue to play in support of their commitments to the nation.
“Twenty-nine Native Americans have earned the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest recognition for acts or valor in combat,” he said. “Today, Native Americans serve the U.S. military at a higher rate than any other U.S. ethnic group.”
Editor’s Note: For service members needing assistance submitting a religious accommodation, Sorensen says to reach out to him by email or contact the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command’s Public Affairs Office.