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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
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To: Responsibility2nd

Yeah, I think in the old days, you see a Sargent or Chief with a service designation or an anchor and you think; hey, it goes with package. But let’s face it, it’s hard to take someone with a unicorn, or AC/DC on his arm seriously(hard enough not to laugh.)


41 posted on 04/03/2014 10:35:20 AM PDT by Old North State
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To: Red Badger

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???


42 posted on 04/03/2014 10:37:32 AM PDT by Psalm 144 (FIGHT! FIGHT! SEVERE CONSERVATIVE AND THE WILD RIGHT!)
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To: Psalm 144

The Obozo team also wants to stop them from smoking............


43 posted on 04/03/2014 10:39:22 AM PDT by Red Badger (LIberal is an oxymoron......................)
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To: Psalm 144

not the entire civiolization. the progressive/liberal part of it is.


44 posted on 04/03/2014 10:40:15 AM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

But if you’re a fag and an atheist...come right in...


45 posted on 04/03/2014 10:40:59 AM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: AzSteven

if they aren’t lifted for a future draft, i predict a huge upsurge in tattoos.


46 posted on 04/03/2014 10:41:49 AM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Psalm 144

Buggery is OK. Tattoos are not.


47 posted on 04/03/2014 10:42:30 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Obamacare: You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.)
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To: LeoWindhorse

i say if you feel the need for one, get a temporary one. you’ll be glad it’s gone by the time it’s gone, most people will.


48 posted on 04/03/2014 10:42:54 AM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Red Badger
 

If a man (or woman) is willing to die for my freedom and liberty, then they can wear whatever body art they wish.......................

 

How nice. Would you also argue.... If a man (or woman) is willing to die for my freedom and liberty, then they can SLEEP WITH SOMEONE OF THE SAME SEX IF THEY WISH.......................
 

Point is, there are standards of conduct and behavior for our soldiers.

49 posted on 04/03/2014 10:44:14 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This Means Liberals and (L)libertarians! Same Thing. NO LIBS!!)
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To: Psalm 144

this Army [the one that is being formed and organized presently] is not intended to do battle with foreign soldiers in defense of America. It will be used to battle, control, and slaughter Americans who rebel against the New World Order ruler when it becomes necessary. It may be yet 20 years or more in the future. And it may be used in the controlling mode as future generations are becoming more docile, feminized and have a slave mentality. This is the reason behind the “legalization of narcotic drug[s] “ movement as drug addicts, while poor responsible citizens, do make excellent slaves.


50 posted on 04/03/2014 10:46:22 AM PDT by sport
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To: LeoWindhorse

I’m seeing it every week. Now the “uniform policy representative” at my AF agency sends a “uniform tips” email once a week, letting us know that we can wear black athletic socks with a small logo, but don’t you DARE have your PT uniform shirt untucked! All sorts of “demobilization”, “steady-state” bullsh!t every week. I hate the peacetime military. Too many people trying to come up with new rules (or the old rules that went by the wayside when we actually started fighting).


51 posted on 04/03/2014 10:46:29 AM PDT by jagusafr (the American Trinity (Liberty, In G0D We Trust, E Pluribus Unum))
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To: Secret Agent Man

not the entire civiolization. the progressive/liberal part of it is.

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

However that is the dominant (to the point of oppressive) culture. Most of us here are a subculture, identified by the Washington regime as a threat.


52 posted on 04/03/2014 10:47:03 AM PDT by Psalm 144 (FIGHT! FIGHT! SEVERE CONSERVATIVE AND THE WILD RIGHT!)
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To: Lexington Green

“Only smoke-free homo vegan atheists need apply”

Those are usually the ones that are inked up in the manner this policy addresses.


53 posted on 04/03/2014 10:48:49 AM PDT by ifinnegan
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To: sport

I fully agree with you on these points. Look at parallels in the Spanish Civil War and the years running up to it. MANY analogs to developments here.


54 posted on 04/03/2014 10:49:22 AM PDT by Psalm 144 (FIGHT! FIGHT! SEVERE CONSERVATIVE AND THE WILD RIGHT!)
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To: Psalm 144

“Buggery is OK. Tattoos are not. This civilization is demented.”

They go hand in hand.


55 posted on 04/03/2014 10:49:37 AM PDT by ifinnegan
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To: Starboard

Very likely. Most of the customers are women.


56 posted on 04/03/2014 10:50:33 AM PDT by pfflier
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To: Responsibility2nd

Our problems with recruiting have nothing to do with a handful of rejected tattoos, we used to do that even in the 1960s and 1970s, and we had a massive military, with millions of men enlisting, when the population was a half to less than 2/3rds of what it is today.


57 posted on 04/03/2014 10:53:27 AM PDT by ansel12 ((Libertarianism offers the transitory concepts and dialogue to move from conservatism, to liberalism)
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To: Gamecock

I sadly point out that a PROFESSIONAL PEACETIME military force can and has, in a matter of moments become a WARTIME military force.
The tattooed veterans of WWII I spoke of were as young men part of a PEACETIME military service, a Navy. One infamous Sunday they were “cordially” invited to take part in a war.
They took their prior training as well as their tattoos and won that war.
By the way, I have NO tattoos, and have never considered one. I still respect those I served with and under. I saw who and what they were, not the art work.


58 posted on 04/03/2014 10:56:25 AM PDT by CaptainAmiigaf (NY TIMES: We print the news as it fits our views.)
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To: LeoWindhorse
I do not carry a single tat and never will .

I too have no tatoos, with no plans to ever get one.

59 posted on 04/03/2014 10:58:17 AM PDT by SoldierDad (Proud dad of an Army Soldier who has survived 24 months of Combat deployment.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Tattoos are a self-administered low IQ test.


60 posted on 04/03/2014 10:59:45 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum ("A man who damns money obtained it dishonorably; a man who respects it has earned it." --Ayn Rand)
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