So, I set up an appointment for a tatoo...

[Jsphsl4204]

Alright, my dad has a tattoo on his left bicept that says "LEE" in olde english font. Well, I decided that I would get a tattoo that says "JOE" in olde english font on MY left bicept, in rememberance of my ever-aging father (besides just thinking my dad's tattoo looks incredible, and I really want one, too).
Well, the idea just occured to me; I'm not too nursed on the tattoo policy of the Marine Corps. I mean, I HAVE done some research, but I'm not the most intelligent person, as clearly shown. So, to read some LtCol.'s expression on the lawful nature of tattoos in the Marines, really doesn't help me, because I'm too damn stupid to understand it, haha.
On top of that, I don't know the traditional name of Marine Corps uniforms. I mean, we all know dress blues, etc., but everyday working uniforms, or the modified dress blues, etc., I'm not too sure of the legitimiacy of entrance to the Corps with a tattoo on my left bicept.

My overall question is, if I was to get a tattoo of "JOE" in the said font on my left arm, which would not be visible in, say, an Army Class B Uniform (I had to use their example; I'm more schooled in Army tradition and standard due to JRTOC, and my dad being a U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran [please attempt to relate an Army Class B Uniform length to that of a similiar USMC Uniform length]) would I be disqualified for military service unless I cancelled the appointment and didn't get a tattoo, or had the tattoo removed at a later date?

I'm fairly-confident the tattoo I want is legit (sorry, I don't have any pictures), but I want to make sure so it won't haunt me at a later date. Thanks!

P.S. - Below is approximately how big the tattoo will be. The tattoo will look NOTHING like it, but it should be around the same size, maybe a little bigger:

JOE

Again, any help at all is GREATLY appreciated. Thank you.

[Jsphsl4204]

No one?
I'd hate to rush, but at 1:00 tommorow I'll be there getting it...
Meh. If it doesn't follow uniformed standard, I'll get it removed.

[jennifer]

I think you will be ok. You just have to remember that it can't be seen in PT gear. You know the green T-shirt (skivee) and shorts. But the old english part, I don't reccomend it. And also, if you get your dad's name expect to get some Sh!t for that. C'mon, a male with another males name tattooed on them?? You're definately gonna get some Sh!t for that. :p And you're only 15, who in the hell is gonna take you to go get a tattoo at such a young age???

[Jsphsl4204]

I think you will be ok. You just have to remember that it can't be seen in PT gear. You know the green T-shirt (skivee) and shorts. But the old english part, I don't reccomend it. And also, if you get your dad's name expect to get some Sh!t for that. C'mon, a male with another males name tattooed on them?? You're definately gonna get some Sh!t for that. :p And you're only 15, who in the hell is gonna take you to go get a tattoo at such a young age???

First off, thanks for the input. It really helps!

Secondly, I love his tattoo. I really don't give two sh!ts about anyone else's opinion of it. Granted it may seem a little "funny-in-the-butt" to do, but my dad's my greatest hero. And I say that like a two-year-old kid who got his first great taste of candy from his father.

And oh yeah, shhh. Just pretend I'm not 15. The world isn't a great place, someone my age getting tattood really isn't that bad, from my perspective (of course, what the hell do I know, I'm nieve, society labels me stupid, and dares me to wreck my first car, and drink my first beer, etc., because hell, I can get away with anything in this modern judicial system and it's mercy on youth).

The guy's nickname, for under-the-counter stings is "D". He owns a business, but never shows up as not to get caught. My friend has eight tattoos, so I figured I might as well get one, since it's okay with my old man.

[Jsphsl4204]

Meh, the guy that gave me the tattoo is a former soldier, informed on the standards of the USMC Tattoo Policy. I picked the perfect place for my tattoo, is what I was told, so, no worries, and thanks for the reply!

Off the record, it's addictive; I'm positive that won't be my last tattoo. NOWHERE near my last tattoo.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Remember, the rules can change at any time. The Marine Corps policy on tatoos is nowhere close to what it was when I enlisted a few years ago, and it just keeps getting more strict. Don't be surprised if the tattoo ends up creating a problem for you when it comes time to enlist and/or select your MOS. We don't know what the future holds, but it wouldn't surprise me if the policy becomes even more restrictive in the coming years.

[Jsphsl4204]

Remember, the rules can change at any time. The Marine Corps policy on tatoos is nowhere close to what it was when I enlisted a few years ago, and it just keeps getting more strict. Don't be surprised if the tattoo ends up creating a problem for you when it comes time to enlist and/or select your MOS. We don't know what the future holds, but it wouldn't surprise me if the policy becomes even more restrictive in the coming years.

It's getting STRICTER?!
Wow. I would have thunk it been more liberal, ESPECIALLY with a war waging right now and enlistment numbers dropping.

This bothers me...

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

When I first enlisted, it wasn't unusual to see Marines with tattoos visible in their "Charlies" (short sleeve kahki shirt/ brown pants), and they were commonly seen in PT gear- even in boot camp. But, as time has passed, the rules have become more strict. While I was in, it became the norm that any tattoo that could be seen in a service uniform could get you into trouble, even though most people could still get away with it. Now, they're cracking down even more. There are jobs within the federal government that you simply cannot have if you have a tattoo. I don't know that the Marine Corps would ever go that far, but I could see them restricting some jobs- but even that is not very likely.

I don't know why you thought they would be more liberal just because there is a war going on. It is still the Marine Corps, it doesn't get easier to earn the title just because people are shooting at each other. This war is one of the larger conflicts to come our way in a long time, but you'll learn that for most of the history of the Marine Corps, Marines have been involved in one conflict or another just about all the time.

[Jsphsl4204]

When I first enlisted, it wasn't unusual to see Marines with tattoos visible in their "Charlies" (short sleeve kahki shirt/ brown pants), and they were commonly seen in PT gear- even in boot camp. But, as time has passed, the rules have become more strict. While I was in, it became the norm that any tattoo that could be seen in a service uniform could get you into trouble, even though most people could still get away with it. Now, they're cracking down even more. There are jobs within the federal government that you simply cannot have if you have a tattoo. I don't know that the Marine Corps would ever go that far, but I could see them restricting some jobs- but even that is not very likely.

I don't know why you thought they would be more liberal just because there is a war going on. It is still the Marine Corps, it doesn't get easier to earn the title just because people are shooting at each other. This war is one of the larger conflicts to come our way in a long time, but you'll learn that for most of the history of the Marine Corps, Marines have been involved in one conflict or another just about all the time.

I wasn't attempting to imply that because there's a war waging, the Marine Corps would or should lower their standards. It just seems to me as if the public has placed a taboo on tattoos for absolutely no reason at all. There's a statistic for one age group I saw on wikipedia (which I will post after this post) where as much as 30% of the said population has a tattoo.

So, why would the Marines raise the standars for cosmetic reasons? I mean, I'm sure discipline is obviously involved, but if it's not visible at all, in any service uniform, why go so far as to restrict service for the willing and able? The Marines have always been the world's greatest fighting force by FAR, even when tattoos in the Corps were more liberal, so, why up the standard, when that same standard has fared you well in the past?

And, while I know that that wasn't the general idea of your post, I'm just speaking in general terms.

[wsimkins]

When I was in the Corps I got a large cobra with USMC on my right bicept and a panther on my right forearm. I got dealt allot of s**t over it at first (was a PFC), but it went away as the promotions started coming (guess I got salty). Now you can't have them visible. Yes, they are getting stricter and in true honesty, they should. Though I like my tats when I look at pictures from the past of me in charlies and mod blues, I now see how grody it really looked.