Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

New Army tattoo policy eliminates potential recruits, future officer promotions
WTKR ^ | 04/02/2014 | by Laurie Simmons

Posted on 04/03/2014 9:48:49 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd

If you want to sign on the dotted line to serve Uncle Sam in the Army, it’s going to get a lot harder to make the cut.

By the end of April, new recruits will be held to the Army’s new grooming standards–which include stricter rules on tattoos.

“Tattoos are cool thing today, 70-80% of people who come into our office have tattoos. I’ve seen 15-year-olds with tattoos,” said Sergeant First Class Robert Black with the Army Recruiting Command in Norfolk, who says these new policies will cut down on the number of enlisted they can take.

If you have a sleeve tattoo–you are eliminated.

If you have a tattoo on the face, neck, head, hands or fingers–forget about it.

If you have ink below the elbow or below the knee, you are limited to 4 tattoos, none bigger than the size of your hand.

“We have over 50 future soldiers in waiting, holding for basic training, and as of right now, 30% would not be able to qualify based on those standards,” said SFC Black.

The Army is allowing those new recruits already under contract, as well as current active duty soldiers, to be grandfathered in under the old rules—but if any of those enlisted soldiers want to try and get their commission to become an officer, they would be barred if their tattoos don’t match the new policy.

“A situation like that would definitely be disheartening to someone who wanted to be an officer and now the tattoo policy is going to stop them from being able to do it, but once again, they have to adapt to the situation to go forward,” said SFC Black.

According to the Sergeant Major of the Army, who came up with the new standards, it is all meant to keep up a more professional peacetime force.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: tattoos
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-92 next last
To: freedomfiter2

Most people are only a couple of meals away from being savages. Chances are the average stone age person was in much better physical shape.


61 posted on 04/03/2014 11:10:20 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum
Tattist and to a lesser extent tattism runs deep in our culture of former homophobes and racist.

We cannot be expected to give up all our phobias, can we?

62 posted on 04/03/2014 11:12:00 AM PDT by urbanpovertylawcenter (the law and poverty collide in an urban setting and sparks fly)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: Psalm 144
They should be able to drink beer too. If you can’t trust them with a can of beer, you are going to give them grenades???

Independently, no problem. Together, could be trouble...

63 posted on 04/03/2014 11:12:24 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: Smokin' Joe

Together, could be trouble...

*************

I won’t dispute you there.


64 posted on 04/03/2014 11:15:59 AM PDT by Psalm 144 (FIGHT! FIGHT! SEVERE CONSERVATIVE AND THE WILD RIGHT!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: Secret Agent Man

I see these women , covered with tats from neck to toe , and wonder how they will explain this crap to their grandchildren ? If they ever have any ....

Doesn’t the fascination of a new tat boil down to the boredom of like endlessly watching re-runs ?

Just stay fit , that’s enough .


65 posted on 04/03/2014 11:24:14 AM PDT by LeoWindhorse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: SoldierDad

never forget how the Nazis coveted and utilized tattooed people . They would have a lot of ‘fun’ today . Could that happen again ?


66 posted on 04/03/2014 11:27:40 AM PDT by LeoWindhorse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: CaptainAmiigaf
I think you missed my sarcasm.

I am currently on active duty, have been for 26 years and am fully aware of the PC nonsense going on in the military.

67 posted on 04/03/2014 11:30:17 AM PDT by Gamecock (If the cross is not foolishness to the lost world then we have misrepresented the cross." S.L.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]

To: All

So, you can ride the baloney pony but you can’t have a tattoo.

When I was in the navy it was against regulations to get a tattoo. Something about “destruction of government property”. But I never knew of anyone being prosecuted.

By the way, I hate tattoos.


68 posted on 04/03/2014 11:33:03 AM PDT by VerySadAmerican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: stars & stripes forever

Yep. Join the army. Determine that you don’t like it. Get a tattoo. “Sorry, sir. I was drunk. Where is my discharge?”


69 posted on 04/03/2014 11:34:25 AM PDT by VerySadAmerican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: LeoWindhorse

Me neither!


70 posted on 04/03/2014 11:34:41 AM PDT by Shimmer1 (When you have neither the law nor the facts on your side, pound the table.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Shimmer1

ever notice how graffiti covers a substantial part of America today ? are tats not unlike graffiti on the human body ?


71 posted on 04/03/2014 11:36:56 AM PDT by LeoWindhorse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Not sure how long its been since you were in but its become quite common for gangbangers to join the military, get their combat training, get chaptered out and take their newly gained knowledge back to the streets. This policy would help to prevent just that since a lot of these guys end up heavily tatted up before they even turn 15.


72 posted on 04/03/2014 11:37:09 AM PDT by RedForemanRules
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Thank you. Tattoos and soldiers go back to the Romans. The Navy has a proud tattoo tradition that goes back for more than 100 years.

This is another way to push out the truest, toughest professional soldiers and put in place the PC pansies.


73 posted on 04/03/2014 11:39:43 AM PDT by Marie (When are they going to take back Obama's peace prize?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: sport

I wish I could figure out a way to leave a message to my grandchildren that they can read 20 years from now. It would say “This shit is your parents’ fault.”


74 posted on 04/03/2014 11:40:50 AM PDT by VerySadAmerican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: Marie

Bar tattoos and let in Sodomites, such is America 2014 A.D.


75 posted on 04/03/2014 11:41:00 AM PDT by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: urbanpovertylawcenter
Could you repeat that in English please?
76 posted on 04/03/2014 11:42:08 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum ("A man who damns money obtained it dishonorably; a man who respects it has earned it." --Ayn Rand)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: jagusafr

When I was in the Navy during the Viet Nam war all the “salts” would say “Man, it’s so much better in the peace time Navy.”


77 posted on 04/03/2014 11:42:15 AM PDT by VerySadAmerican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: LeoWindhorse

ps: navy SEALs are big tat fans .... thus said , it should not be a criteria for military participation . But it is still way way out of control in this country . People are bored , they paint on walls , they tat themselves , hamsters on a wheel


78 posted on 04/03/2014 11:42:32 AM PDT by LeoWindhorse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: AEMILIUS PAULUS

There is quite a bit of overlap there.


79 posted on 04/03/2014 11:42:40 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum ("A man who damns money obtained it dishonorably; a man who respects it has earned it." --Ayn Rand)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 75 | View Replies]

To: ifinnegan

So, you believe and equate homosexuality and tattoos as being the same? Really?

If that is what you meant then stupidity and your comment go hand in hand.


80 posted on 04/03/2014 12:11:19 PM PDT by RJS1950 (The democrats are the "enemies foreign and domestic" cited in the federal oath)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-92 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson