Posted on 05/04/2010 7:20:28 PM PDT by Man50D
A widely regarded Southern symbol of pride and states' rights is standing in the way of would-be Marines in their quest to serve their country – a Confederate battle flag.
Straight out of high school, one 18-year-old Tennessee man was determined to serve his country as a Marine. His friend said he passed the pre-enlistment tests and physical exams and looked forward with excitement to the day he would ship out to boot camp.
But there would be no shouting drill instructors, no rigorous physical training and no action-packed stories for the aspiring Marine to share with his family.
Shortly before he was scheduled to leave Nashville for boot camp, the Marine Corps rejected him.
Now, the young man, who wishes to remain unnamed and declined to be interviewed, has chosen to return to school and is no longer an aspiring Marine.
"I think he just wants to let it go," said former Marine 1st Lt. Gene Andrews, a friend of the man and patriotic Southerner who served in Vietnam from 1968 through 1971. Andrews is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, a group of male descendents of Confederate soldiers. He counseled the young man when he decided to become a Marine.
"He had been talking to me, and he was all fired up about joining," he told WND. "He asked my opinion of it, and I just tried to tell him the truth, good points and bad points."
When the young recruit didn't go to boot camp, Andrews learned of his rejection based on his tattoo of the Confederate battle flag on his shoulder.
(Excerpt) Read more at wnd.com ...
Oh boy, are you ever cockeyed from propaganda, bringing up habeas corpus and trying to impart the impression that the former Confederacy regarded States in any way differently than the United States did under the Articles of Confederation. Lincoln was notorious for exactly that which you pretend to be a damning fact about Jefferson Davis. Davis had no iron fist with the southern States, and yes I’m capitalizing State on purpose. Governor Zebulon Vance of North Carolina never, and I do mean never, violated habeas corpus, and that alone puts the lie to your contention.
You’d have everyone believe that this just wasn’t possible under some wacky, anachronistic, invented application of fascism nearly a century before the fact. The fact of the matter is, the former Confederacy varied little from the United States of a generation before. The United States as a whole changed, but the southern ones didn’t.
You can argue that it was for the better, and you’ll not get argument from me as far as the peculiar institution of human bondage, particularly chattel slavery. However, that institution, peculiar as it came to seem, had existed throughout recorded history, on every continent and among every people, and continues to be practiced to this day.
There were many things lost in order to gain that one thing, a great price was paid. The repercussion of an overreaching leviathan federal government is one of the more noteworthy after-effects, and you can’t argue otherwise with a straight face.
That war was a lot of things, but it was *not* about slavery, not in the beginning. The end of slavery was the practical end result of the whole ugly affair, despite the worse efforts of all involved. To say anything more about it is to again engage in propaganda, and yes it exists on both sides of the debate that still rages in certain quarters, such as the occasional FR thread. We’ve had some truly epic ones here.
Now, tell me about your ancestral home in East Tennessee.
Tattoos on the neck or face are absolutely forbidden.
Tattoos which are visible to the eye when wearing PT Gear (shorts & a tee shirt) are forbidden and have been since at least 2007.
Sleeves or half-sleeves are absolutely forbidden unless they were there before 2007, iirc.
Tattoos which are prejudicial to good order, discipline and morale; or are of a nature to bring discredit to the Marine Corps are absolutely forbidden and have been for a long time. This is neither recent nor should it be a surprise to anyone anywhere.
If he wants to serve, he can (and should) have the tattoo removed.
The Marines are about being a cohesive fighting force that strikes fear in the hearts of bad guys everywhere. The Marines are about honor and sacrifice. The Marines are about bravery and selflessness.
The Marines are not about doing your own thing. They are about doing the right thing, regardless of how hard that seems to be.
If this young man values his tattoo and doing his own thing above his country, he doesn't belong anywhere near the Marine Corps. If he values the United States and the Corps, he needs to high tail it to the dermatologist and start laserin'
it’s easy to stay informed
if folks ran on that instead of emotion we would not be a liberal nation
I believe in the actions of Jeff Davis and understand why our government can kiss ass. He understood the Pilgrims were right.
I’m Georgia-born,and raised with deep family roots in Tennessee. I grew up respecting the valor of those on both sides. I could no more disrespect the Confederate battle flag(a military flag,by the way, not a political one)without disrespecting the Confederate warrior, than I could disrespect the U.S. flag without disrespecting the U.S. warrior. I have family who served on both sides,among them an East Tennessee Union cavalryman and a Confederate infantryman of the 1st Tennessee Infantry Regiment who was
killed at Kennesaw Mountain defending my home state(the battle flag was his regiment’s flag at the time, with battle honors sewed on it, )in 1864. These were real men who had the guts to stand up for what they believed in, a rarely quality in these soft times. I refuse to disrespect any of them or their flags. Or those who respectfully disagree with me.
I know you weren't addressing me but I would like to respond. I don't disagree and I would most likely find more in common politically with Lincoln than I would would Davis. But on this particular issue involving the expanding role of the federal govt, I disagree with Lincoln. All of these great men in our nation's history were human and subject to making poor decisions right alongside the good ones.
As for the neanderthal comment....sadly, some here at FR do feel that way and I've even seen some characterize the Confederate troops as "traitors."
I know that most of my family ancestors were not slave owners and were hard-working and just trying to survive and feed their families and create a better life than where they left from. I trust that their support for the war, whichever side, was not as trivial as many make it appear today.
funny how they only picked what they deem racist...and I’m sure they mean “white racism” tats?
so who is this Commandant?
hell these brass today are so effed up with homosexual shite and this sorta nonsense they probably just let their heads spin
btw...I got a lot of dead southern kin from plenty of wars since and my three war combat vet father in law (RIP) had a CSA flag on his forearm
these bastards are shameful
As it has always been since it's formation from within the JACKASS party after surrendering in 1865 to kill off any Republicans who organized in the south after the war.
UNCLAS 191708Z MAR 07
CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
AL MARADMIN(UC)
MARADMIN
MARADMIN 198/07
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/ANNOUNCEMENT OF CHANGES TO THE MARINE CORPS TATTOO POLICY//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC MCUB/YMD:20030331// POC/S. T. FOSTER/CAPT/-/-/TEL:COMM 703 784 9387/TEL:DSN 278 9387//>br> NARR/REF A MCO P1020.34G, MARINE CORPS UNIFORM REGULATIONS// GENTEXT/-/1. PURPOSE. TO DETAIL REVISIONS AND ADDITIONS TO THE TATTOO POLICY FOUND IN MCO P1020.34G, MARINE CORPS UNIFORM REGULATIONS.
2. EFFECTIVE 1 APRIL 2007, PARAGRAPH 1004.1C OF MCO P1020.34G, MARINE CORPS UNIFORM REGULATIONS, IS CANCELLED AND REPLACED WITH THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH. "... MARINES ARE PROHIBITED FROM:
C. TATTOOS OR BRANDS ON THE HEAD AND NECK. SLEEVE TATTOOS ARE LIKEWISE PROHIBITED. A SLEEVE TATTOO IS A VERY LARGE TATTOO, OR A COLLECTION OF SMALLER TATTOOS, THAT COVERS OR ALMOST COVERS A PERSON S ENTIRE ARM OR LEG. HALF-SLEEVE OR QUARTER-SLEEVE TATTOOS THAT ARE VISIBLE TO THE EYE WHEN WEARING STANDARD PT GEAR (T-SHIRT AND SHORTS) ARE LIKEWISE PROHIBITED. A HALF-SLEEVE OR QUARTER-SLEEVE TATTOO IS DEFINED AS A VERY LARGE TATTOO, OR A COLLECTION OF SMALLER TATTOOS THAT COVERS, OR ALMOST COVERS, THE ENTIRE PORTION OF AN ARM OR LEG ABOVE OR BELOW THE ELBOW OR KNEE. TATTOOS OR BRANDS THAT ARE PREJUDICIAL TO GOOD ORDER, DISCIPLINE AND MORALE, OR ARE OF A NATURE TO BRING DISCREDIT UPON THE MARINE CORPS ARE ALSO PROHIBITED. PREJUDICIAL TO GOOD ORDER, DISCIPLINE AND MORALE, OR ARE OF A NATURE TO BRING DISCREDIT UPON THE MARINE CORPS MAY INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, ANY TATTOO THAT IS SEXIST, RACIST, VULGAR, ANTI-AMERICAN, ANTI-SOCIAL, GANG RELATED, OR EXTREMIST GROUP OR ORGANIZATION RELATED."
3. THE FOLLOWING NEW SUPARAGRAPHS 1004.1C(1) AND 1004.1C(2) ARE ADDED.
"(1) MARINES WHO CURRENTLY HAVE A SLEEVE TATTOO(S) WILL BE GRANDFATHERED. THE MARINE'S COMMAND WILL INSERT A PHOTOGRAPH(S) OF THE RESPECTIVE TATTOO(S) ALONG WITH A MEASUREMENT(S) OF THE SIZE IN INCHES AND OF THE LOCATION(S) ON THE BODY AND THE DATE THE TATTOO(S) WAS DOCUMENTED, ON THE PAGE 11 OF THE MARINE'S SRB. THE MARINE WILL SIGN THE PAGE 11 ENTRY VERIFYING THE INFORMATION IS CORRECT."
"(2) THE DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS IS DESIGNATED AS THE ADJUDICATING AUTHORITY FOR ANY TATTOO ISSUE INVOLVING RETENTION OR SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENTS. REVIEW OF A QUESTIONABLE TATTOO(S) WILL BE SUBMITTED TO DC M&RA (MM) VIA THE REENLISTMENT, EXTENSION, LATERAL MOVE SYSTEM (RELMS). THE PACKAGE WILL INCLUDE A PHOTOGRAPH(S) OF THE TATTOO(S), MEASUREMENT(S) OF THE SIZE IN INCHES, DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCATION(S) AND EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE TATTOO(S) HAS BEEN DEEMED QUESTIONABLE BY THE COMMANDER."
4. COMMANDER'S ARE REQUIRED TO EDUCATE ALL THEIR MARINES ON THE NEW POLICY AND DOCUMENT ANY MARINE THAT REQUIRES GRANDFATHERING BY 1 JULY 2007.//
The early days of the KKK, clear up to the 1960s, saw much more rampant use of Old Glory herself, than they ever did the Stars and Bars.
My families are from Hebbertsburg (near Crossville) and I have family on my mom's side from Spring City, near Knoxville. FYI ;)
Dressed in an immaculate uniform, Lee waited for Grant to arrive. Grant, whose headache had ended when he received Lee's note, arrived in a mud-spattered uniform—a government-issue flannel shirt with trousers tucked into muddy boots, no sidearms, and with only his tarnished shoulder straps showing his rank. It was the first time the two men had seen each other face-to-face in almost two decades. Suddenly overcome with sadness, Grant found it hard to get to the point of the meeting and instead the two generals briefly discussed a previous encounter during the Mexican-American War. Lee brought the attention back to the issue at hand, and Grant offered the same terms he had before:
In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th inst., I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of N. Va. on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and men to be made in duplicate. One copy to be given to an officer designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged, and each company or regimental commander sign a like parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery and public property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officer appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be allowed to return to their homes, not to be disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside.
The terms were as generous as Lee could hope for; his men would not be imprisoned or prosecuted for treason. In addition to his terms, Grant also allowed the defeated men to take home their horses and mules to carry out the spring planting and provided Lee with a supply of food rations for his starving army; Lee said it would have a very happy effect among the men and do much toward reconciling the country. The terms of the surrender were recorded in a document completed around 4 p.m., April 9. As Lee left the house and rode away, Grant's men began cheering in celebration, but Grant ordered an immediate stop. "I at once sent word, however, to have it stopped," he said. "The Confederates were now our countrymen, and we did not want to exult over their downfall."
On April 10, Lee gave his farewell address to his army. The same day a six-man commission gathered to discuss a formal ceremony of surrender, even though no Confederate officer wished to go through with such an event. Brig. Gen. Joshua L. Chamberlain was the Union officer selected to lead the ceremony, and later he reflected on what he witnessed on April 12, 1865, and wrote a moving tribute:
"The momentous meaning of this occasion impressed me deeply. I resolved to mark it by some token of recognition, which could be no other than a salute of arms. Well aware of the responsibility assumed, and of the criticisms that would follow, as the sequel proved, nothing of that kind could move me in the least. The act could be defended, if needful, by the suggestion that such a salute was not to the cause for which the flag of the Confederacy stood, but to its going down before the flag of the Union. My main reason, however, was one for which I sought no authority nor asked forgiveness. Before us in proud humiliation stood the embodiment of manhood: men whom neither toils and sufferings, nor the fact of death, nor disaster, nor hopelessness could bend from their resolve; standing before us now, thin, worn, and famished, but erect, and with eyes looking level into ours, waking memories that bound us together as no other bond;—was not such manhood to be welcomed back into a Union so tested and assured? Instructions had been given; and when the head of each division column comes opposite our group, our bugle sounds the signal and instantly our whole line from right to left, regiment by regiment in succession, gives the soldier's salutation, from the "order arms" to the old "carry"—the marching salute. Gordon at the head of the column, riding with heavy spirit and downcast face, catches the sound of shifting arms, looks up, and, taking the meaning, wheels superbly, making with himself and his horse one uplifted figure, with profound salutation as he drops the point of his sword to the boot toe; then facing to his own command, gives word for his successive brigades to pass us with the same position of the manual,—honor answering honor. On our part not a sound of trumpet more, nor roll of drum; not a cheer, nor word nor whisper of vain-glorying, nor motion of man standing again at the order, but an awed stillness rather, and breath-holding, as if it were the passing of the dead!
– Joshua L. Chamberlain, Passing of the Armies, pp. 260-61
Stars and bars were used solely (since they were founded as a wing of the DUmocrat party by southern DUmocrats) from 1860s all the way through the 1930s.
It wasn’t till they decided to “drop the radical pose” (much like with their modern-day DUmocrat counterparts) to appear Christian and “pro-American”.
The KKK also has misused the U.S. flag. Does that it a racist flag?
holy macaroni...how much damage did he do to himself?
Correction: Does that *make* it a racist flag? I type in a hurry at times.
That is a fact.
He is personally responsible for more American deaths than all the other presidents combined.
If ANY state wishes to secede from the Union that is their right as a sovereign state.
A bastard murderer is what he was.
I'd piss on his grave.
The Corps has nothing to say about me. Leave that alone,
I’ve got a bunch who went over the mountain just prior to Tennessee statehood. Carter, Tuttle, Frey/Frye, Laird, Binkley, Morris and others, almost all younger sons and a few daughters. The Carter might be somewhat controversial in TN, Landon Carter, he was my fifth great grandfather. Illustrious line going way, way back to Rober “King” Carter and wife Elizabeth Landon Carter, but he didn’t exactly do us proud with the whole land office thing.
R 151956Z JAN 10
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 029/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS//
SUBJ/AMPLIFICATION TO THE MARINE CORPS TATTOO POLICY//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC MCUB /YMD:20030331//
REF/B/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC MCRC/YMD:20040210//
REF/C/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC MPP/YMD:20080709//
NARR/REF A IS MCO P1020.34G, MARINE CORPS UNIFORM REGULATIONS. REF B IS MCO P1100.72C, MILITARY PERSONNEL PROCUREMENT MANUAL, VOLUME 2, ENLISTED PROCUREMENT. REF C IS MCO 1001.45J, CAREER DESIGNATION, RETENTION, AND RETURN TO ACTIVE DUTY, REDESIGNATION OF RESTRICTED OFFICERS TO UNRESTRICTED STATUS, AND INTER-SERVICE TRANSFER OF OFFICERS INTO THE MARINE CORPS.//
POC/P. J. HILLIARD/MAJ/UNIT:MPO /-/TEL:703-784-9387//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. PURPOSE. TO PROVIDE CLARITY, ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE, AND A SINGLE-SOURCE DOCUMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL MARINE CORPS TATTOO POLICY.
2. FOR GENERATIONS, MARINES HAVE SERVED PROUDLY IN EVERY REGION OF THE WORLD, FULFILLING OUR ROLE AS AMERICA'S AMBASSADORS AND DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM. WE ARE RECOGNIZED AROUND THE GLOBE FOR OUR MILITARY PROWESS AND HIGH STANDARDS OF MILITARY BEARING AND APPEARANCE. THE GROWING TREND OF EXCESSIVE TATTOOS LIMITS WORLD-WIDE ASSIGNABILITY OF MARINES AND DETRACTS FROM ONE OF THE MOST VISIBLE HALLMARKS OF OUR CORPS - OUR DISTINGUISHED APPEARANCE. THIS TATTOO POLICY SEEKS TO BALANCE THE PERSONAL DESIRES OF MARINES WITH THEIR INHERENT RESPONSIBILITIES TO SET THE EXAMPLE AND PRESENT THE SHARP MILITARY APPEARANCE AMERICA HAS COME TO EXPECT OF HER MARINES.
3. THE POLICY'S OVERALL INTENT IS TO ENSURE MARINES CAN BE ASSIGNED WHENEVER AND WHEREVER THEY ARE NEEDED AND TO MAINTAIN OUR PROFESSIONAL DEMEANOR AND THE HIGH STANDARDS EXPECTED OF THE MARINE CORPS. THIS MARADMIN PROVIDES THE CONSOLIDATED/UPDATED MARINE CORPS TATTOO POLICY AND TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER ALL PREVIOUS MARADMINS ON THE SUBJECT.
A. TATTOOS/BRANDS CONTINUE TO BE SUBJECT TO REVIEW UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (E.G., PROMOTION, ASSIGNMENT, SCHOOL, ETC.) TO DETERMINE IF ANY ARE PREJUDICIAL TO GOOD ORDER, DISCIPLINE AND MORALE, OR ARE OF A NATURE TO BRING DISCREDIT UPON THE MARINE CORPS.
B. THE FOLLOWING IS THE EXISTING POLICY PROMULGATED IN REFS A AND B.
(1) PRIOR TO ENLISTMENT INTO THE MARINE CORPS, APPLICANTS WITH MORE THAN FOUR (4) TATTOOS/BRANDS WILL BE ADMINISTRATIVELY REVIEWED IAW WITH REF B.
(2) TATTOOS/BRANDS THAT ARE SEXIST (EXPRESS NUDITY), RACIST, ECCENTRIC OR OFFENSIVE IN NATURE, EXPRESS AN ASSOCIATION WITH CONDUCT OR SUBSTANCES PROHIBITED BY THE MARINE CORPS DRUG POLICY AND THE UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE (UCMJ), TO INCLUDE TATTOOS ASSOCIATED WITH ILLEGAL DRUGS, DRUG USAGE, OR PARAPHERNALIA, ARE PROHIBITED.
(3) TATTOOS/BRANDS THAT DEPICT VULGAR OR ANTI-AMERICAN CONTENT, BRING POSSIBLE DISCREDIT TO THE MARINE CORPS, OR ASSOCIATE THE APPLICANT/MARINE WITH ANY EXTREMIST GROUP OR ORGANIZATION ARE PROHIBITED.
(4) TATTOOS/BRANDS ON THE HEAD AND NECK ARE PROHIBITED.
(5) SLEEVE TATTOOS AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAGH 5A ARE PROHIBITED. HALF-SLEEVE OR QUARTER-SLEEVE TATTOOS THAT ARE VISIBLE TO THE EYE WHEN WEARING STANDARD PHYSICAL TRAINING (PT) GEAR ARE LIKEWISE PROHIBITED. NO ADDITIONAL ACTION IS REQUIRED BY MARINES WHOSE SLEEVE TATTOOS WERE PREVIOUSLY GRANDFATHERED PER MARADMIN 198/07.
4. THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE CLARIFIES THE MARINE CORPS TATTOO POLICY AND IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. MARINES WHO DO NOT MEET THIS GUIDANCE WILL BE GRANDFATHERED PER PARAGRAPH 6.
A. THE FOLLOWING APPLIES TO ALL MARINES.
(1) TATTOOS/BRANDS ON THE HANDS, FINGERS, AND WRISTS ARE PROHIBITED.
(2) TATTOOS/BRANDS IN THE MOUTH ARE PROHIBITED.
(3) INDIVIDUAL TATTOOS VISIBLE IN THE STANDARD PT UNIFORM (SHORTS AND T-SHIRT) WILL BE NO LARGER THAN THE WEARER'S HAND WITH FINGERS EXTENDED AND JOINED WITH THE THUMB TOUCHING THE BASE OF THE INDEX FINGER.
(4) BAND TATTOOS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 5B ARE PROHIBITED.
(5) TATTOOS/BRANDS WILL NOT BE VISIBLE OR APPARENT ON THE FEET OR LEGS WHEN WEARING THE SERVICE A, BLUE DRESS A/B, BLUE-WHITE DRESS A/B, OR THE EVENING DRESS UNIFORMS. EXCEPTION: FORMAL INSPECTIONS AS PRESCRIBED BY COMMANDERS AND/OR INSPECTOR GENERAL TEAMS.
(6) TATTOOS NOT VISIBLE OR APPARENT WITHOUT THE USE OF ULTRA-VIOLET LIGHTING (BLACK LIGHT) MUST MEET THE POLICY AS SET FORTH HEREIN AND IAW THE REFERENCES.
B. ADDED GUIDANCE APPLICABLE ONLY TO OFFICERS (COMMISSIONED/WARRANT).
(1) OFFICERS ARE LIMITED TO NOT MORE THAN FOUR (4) TATTOOS/BRANDS VISIBLE IN THE STANDARD PT UNIFORM.
(2) BAND TATTOOS EXCEEDING A MAXIMUM WIDTH OF TWO (2) INCHES ARE PROHIBITED.
(3) ENLISTED MARINES WITH PREVIOUSLY GRANDFATHERED SLEEVE TATTOOS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A MARINE CORPS COMMISSIONING OR WARRANT OFFICER PROGRAM. IN OTHER WORDS, AN ENLISTED MARINE GRANDFATHERED FOR A SLEEVE TATTOO IAW MARADMIN 198/07 HAS NO RESTRICTIONS FOR REENLISTMENT OR PROMOTION AS AN ENLISTED MARINE, BUT IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THE MARINE ENLISTED COMMISSIONING EDUCATION PROGRAM (MECEP), WARRANT OFFICER, OR ANY OTHER ENLISTED-TO-OFFICER PROGRAM.
(4) PRIOR TO COMMISSIONING/WARRANT OFFICER APPOINTMENT, OFFICER CANDIDATES WILL BE RESCREENED FOR TATTOOS WHICH ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS POLICY. 5. DEFINITIONS
A. SLEEVE TATTOOS: A TATTOO(S) THAT IS VERY LARGE OR A COLLECTION OF SMALLER TATTOOS THAT COVERS, OR ALMOST COVERS, A PERSON'S ENTIRE ARM OR LEG. A HALF/QUARTER SLEEVE TATTOO IS DEFINED AS A VERY LARGE TATTOO OR A COLLECTION OF SMALLER TATTOOS THAT COVERS, OR ALMOST COVERS, THE ENTIRE PORTION OF AN ARM OR LEG ABOVE OR BELOW THE ELBOW OR KNEE.
B. BAND TATTOOS: A TATTOO WHICH PARTIALLY OR FULLY ENCIRCLES THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE BODY PART. OFFICERS ARE ALLOWED BAND TATTOO(S) WITH A MAXIMUM WIDTH OF TWO (2) INCHES. ENLISTED MARINES ARE ALLOWED BAND TATTOO(S) WITH A MAXIMUM WIDTH LESS THAN ONE-QUARTER OF THE RESPECTIVE BODY PART(S) (I.E., LEG OR ARM) EXPOSED SURFACE WHILE WEARING THE STANDARD PT UNIFORM.
C. ONE TATTOO: A SINGLE TATTOO IS DEFINED AS ONE (1) OR MULTIPLE TATTOOS SPACED APART THAT CAN STILL BE COVERED BY A CIRCLE WITH A DIAMETER OF FIVE (5) INCHES. TATTOOS SPACED APART THAT CANNOT BE COVERED BY A CIRCLE WITH A DIAMETER OF FIVE (5) INCHES ARE CONSIDERED SEPARATE TATTOOS.
D. THE NECK: ANY PORTION ABOVE THE COLLARBONE IN THE FRONT AREA, ABOVE THE FIRST CERVICAL VERTEBRAE IN THE BACK AREA, OR OTHERWISE VISIBLE DUE TO THE OPEN COLLAR OF THE SHORT SLEEVE KHAKI SHIRT, WITHOUT AN UNDERSHIRT.
E. EXCESSIVE TATTOOS: WHEN THE COMBINED TATTOO COVERAGE ON A PARTICULAR BODY PART(S), I.E., LEG OR ARM, EXCEEDS ONE-QUARTER OF THE RESPECTIVE BODY PART(S) EXPOSED SURFACE WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL IS WEARING THE STANDARD PT UNIFORM.
F. APPLICANT/CANDIDATE: FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS MARADMIN, AN "APPLICANT" IS ANY CIVILIAN IN THE ACCESSION PIPELINE FOR ENLISTMENT INTO THE MARINE CORPS, AND A "CANDIDATE" INCLUDES ANY PARTICIPANT IN AN OFFICER ACCESSION PROGRAM SUCH AS MECEP, OFFICER CANDIDATE COURSE, PLATOON LEADERS COURSE, NAVAL RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS, U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY, ETC.
6. COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS
A. COMMANDERS OF MARINES WHO DO NOT MEET THE GUIDANCE CONTAINED IN PARAGRAPH 4 WILL TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTION TO GRANDFATHER THOSE MARINES. COMMANDS WILL INSERT A PHOTOGRAPH(S) OF THE MARINES RESPECTIVE TATTOOS/BRANDS, ALONG WITH A MEASUREMENT(S) OF THE SIZE IN INCHES AND OF THE LOCATIONS(S) ON THE BODY, AND DATE THE TATTOO/BRANDS WAS DOCUMENTED ON PAGE 11 OF THE MARINE'S OFFICER QUALIFICATION RECORD (OQR)/SERVICE RECORD BOOK (SRB). THE INDIVIDUAL WILL SIGN THE PAGE 11 ENTRY VERIFYING THE INFORMATION IS CORRECT. THE INFORMATION SHALL BE FORWARDED TO THE RESPECTIVE PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION CENTER FOR ENTRY INTO THE MARINE'S OQR/SRB NOT LATER THAN 1 JUNE 2010.
B. FOR ALL APPLICANTS/CANDIDATES CURRENTLY IN AN OFFICER OR ENLISTED ACCESSION PIPELINE, THE COMMANDING GENERAL, MARINE CORPS RECRUITING COMMAND (CG MCRC) WILL INFORM THEM OF ADDITIONS TO THE TATTOO POLICY. THOSE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WILL BE GRANDFATHERED AND MCRC WILL DOCUMENT ALL TATTOOS/BRANDS NOT LATER THAN 1 JUNE 2010.
C. THE DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS (DC MRA) IS DESIGNATED AS THE FINAL ADJUDICATING AUTHORITY FOR ANY TATTOO ISSUE REGARDING RETENTION, SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENTS, AND TATTOO CONTENT. COMMANDERS OF MARINES WITH QUESTIONABLE TATTOO(S) CAN SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION FOR ADJUDICATION. SUCH REQUESTS SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO DC MRA (MM), VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, USING AN ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION FORM. THE PACKAGE WILL INCLUDE A PHOTOGRAPH(S) OF THE QUESTIONABLE TATTOO(S); A COPY OF ANY PAGE 11 CONTAINING AN ENTRY WHICH GRANDFATHERED THE TATTOO(S); MEASUREMENT(S) OF THE SIZE IN INCHES; DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION(S) OF THE TATTOO(S); AND AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE TATTOO(S) WAS DEEMED QUESTIONABLE BY THE COMMANDER. ONCE DC MRA HAS MADE A DETERMINATION ON THE TATTOO(S), THE MARINE'S COMMANDER WILL ANNOTATE THE INFORMATION IN THE MARINE'S OQR/SRB (PAGE 11) AND DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS.
D. THE CG MCRC IS THE FINAL ADJUDICATING AUTHORITY FOR ANY TATTOO ISSUE INVOLVING ACCESSIONS (BOTH OFFICER AND ENLISTED), TO INCLUDE ENLISTED MARINES WHO MAY APPLY FOR A COMMISSIONING OR WARRANT OFFICER PROGRAM. EXCEPTION TO THE ABOVE IS ANY ACCESSION RESULTING FROM AN OFFICER RETENTION BOARD IN WHICH THE ADJUDICATING AUTHORITY IS THE DIRECTOR, MANPOWER MANAGEMENT DIVISION (MM) FOR DC MRA.
E. COMMANDERS ARE REQUIRED TO DISSEMINATE THIS POLICY, EDUCATE ALL MARINES WITHIN THEIR COMMAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND MONITOR COMPLIANCE. INDIVIDUAL MARINES ARE RESPONSIBLE TO PROVIDE THE COMMAND WITH THE APPROPRIATE INFORMATION FOR GRANDFATHERING. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED INFORMATION MAY RESULT IN ADMINISTRATIVE/PUNITIVE ACTIONS; COMMANDERS SHALL TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION AS REQUIRED AND WITHIN UCMJ LIMITS TO ENFORCE AND MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE.
F. AS APPROPRIATE MARINE CORPS ORDERS AND REGULATIONS ARE REVISED IAW THIS MARADMIN, ANNOUNCEMENTS WILL BE PROMULGATED VIA SEPARATE CORRESPONDENCE.
7. THIS MESSAGE IS APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS TOTAL FORCE.
8. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY JAMES T. CONWAY, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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