Am I doomed with this tattoo?

[dudeyys]

Hey guys (how about Marines.....the Marines here have EARNED the title), It's always been my dream to become a Marine. Unfortunately when I was 15 my friend had a tattoo gun and I thought it would be "cool" to get my zodiac sign (the size of a dime) tattoo'd just below my thumb. It's barely noticeable. I know it was a stupid decision, but I know this is my destiny and I would be a valuable asset to the USMC. I want this more than anything. Can I get my tattoo wavered or am I doomed to be DQ'd?

[Lisa 23]

Go and talk with a recruiter.

[Tennessee Top]

What Lisa 23 said. The recruiters know the rules plus they have experience and a good idea of what will fly and what won't. Same with a tattoo waiver if it comes to that; they have submitted enough waivers to know if the tattoo has a chance of being waived. Let us know what they say. In the meantime, don't make anymore stupid decisions.

[dudeyys]

Than you for your responses. So I took your advice and spoke with a recruiter. As I had feared he said it could DQ me but he took a picture to send it in to see if it could get wavered anyway. Although, I think he did it to give me some piece of mind because he didn't appear to be confident about it. He said he was a new recruiter and wasn't really sure if it would fly or not. So regardless I took initiative and scheduled to have the tattoo surgically removed in a few weeks. Fortunately the surgeon told me the hands have lots of extra skin and the tattoo is so small the scar would be very minimal. A tiny line. I told my recruiter I was just going to go ahead and do this and he said even still he didn't know if it would fly. If the tattoo is no longer there and there isn't noticeable scarring can it really still be an issue?

[Lisa 23]

If the tattoo is no longer there and there isn't noticeable scarring can it really still be an issue?

The Marines here cannot answer that question for you.

[Rocky C]

You did all that since 5:24 am today when you posted ?

You cannot have a Tattoo surgically removed with a little line for a scar.
Tattoos are removed with a ruby laser and depending on the color pigment and size require multiple visits and white scarring is almost always present afterwards and that's if it works besides the fact that you have to have a consultation first.

???

[dudeyys]

Believe it or not yes. I spoke with a recruiter this morning and made the appointment with a plastic surgeon this afternoon. The tattoo wont be removed via traditional laser procedures. The surgeon said if I opted for it, the tattoo was small enough that it could be literally cut off and the skin sewn shut in place of the removed skin. He recommended it over laser removal because the scarring would be significantly smaller in comparison. Truthfully I was unaware that some tattoos could be removed like this. Kind of seems like a blessing in disguise. *fingers crossed*

[Rocky C]

Oh, because in post #4 you said the Recruiter took a picture of it today.

Did you see the surgeon in person for the consultation or was it over the phone ?

[dudeyys]

Yeah the recruiter did just take it today. It may still get waived. A friend of mine has a family friend who is this surgeon so he saw me in person with no appointment. It was something I had been thinking about doing anyway because it seems to hold me back a lot. Also with time being of the essence I figured better to get it waived and have to cancel the procedure than find out I need it removed in a couple weeks and have to wait even longer for the appointment to get it removed. I'm sort of doing it on my own accord even though the recruiter didn't tell me to. I'm extremely determined and motivated to do what ever it takes to be given the honorable opportunity to be a United States Marine. With a wife and newborn son I'm essentially making this my lifes mission because I don't have much other than community college and odd jobs going on in my life. Not a lot of career options right now. So I suppose I'm jumping to extremes but because I feel like I have to.

[Rocky C]

Possible Tattoo removal Surgery, Wife and child ?

Your Recruiter will have his hands full with trying to get you Enlisted. You said in post #4 that he was a New Recruiter.

The Marine Corps is downsizing and Enlisting is very hard now. I hope you disclosed all of this to him besides your Tattoo issue.

Keep us posted and good luck to you...