documenting all current tattoos and checking for new ink sounds like a lot of wasted time and money for something so trivial. im not exactly sympathetic though; the army isnt known for being all about expressing yourself and being creative.

"tattoos of an excessive nature do not represent our traditional values".

I don't understand! If you have too many tattoos does it mean you lose the ability to fire your weapon and carry your gear round? Does it make your arms too heavy or something?

The headline is a bit misleading. there isn't a prohibition on new tattoos, just on where they can be. It sounds like the general purpose is to avoid tattoos that are visible while in uniform. All military services have regulations about wearing jewelry in uniform, hairstyles, etc. This is an extension of such policies.

It is likely to be a huge time waster and an additional administrative burden on units that are already stretched for training time. Will the tattoo photos become a part of the Marine's service record? Will they follow him from unit to unit?

We left the camp after we had inked the soldiers, and this old man came running after us and he was crying. He couldn't see. We went back there and they had come and hacked off every tattooed arm. There they were in a pile. A pile of little arms.

The Horror... the horror.

well as long as they dont go after the navy.

The Marine Corps is not the Army.

yeah thats blows. i hope they over turn this

Wow it used to be nothing below the wrist or above the neck so they wouldn't be seen in your dress uniform

This is new? My uncle is in the Navy and it wasn't a rule but its surely put out there that they don't want you to be heavily covered in tattoos. He also wears plugs in his piercings while on duty and stationed different places.

I thought it was kinda like the don't ask, don't tell policy... as long as we can't see it, we don't care what you do to your bodies...

Guess not.

F%$K YOU, where do you think you get off talking trash about OUR MARINES! You know seriously its a job, and jobs don't like ink. For all you idiots out there with tattoos all over your body, I hope you enjoy working at Hot Topic becasue your gonna be there til your 65. Marines are not trained just to kill, they are trained to PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS! Especially those rights you liberal morons like to abuse all the time like freedom of speech. You bash the marines and the rest of our armed forces and leaders with that very right that they protect with their lives You should be ashamed to call yourself American, let alone a human being.

exactly. while i think that "non offensive" tattoos should be able to be put wherever the person wants them, most businesses and corporate offices.... hell, even retail stores have regulations on visible tattoos. hopefully there will be a day where that isn't frowned upon, but i don't think this issue is a real shocker in this day and age.

(by "non offensive" i mean tattoos that don't say things such as "fuck your mother up the ass" or a picture of the like)

Dunno, maybe the Marines are trying to end the possibility of their personnel becoming Suicide Boys.

The restriction on tattoos below the knee kind of seems even more bizarre than the restriction of tattoos below the elbow. I didn't realize that shorts were part of their uniform and suddenly got a visual of Lt. Dangle from Reno 911.

And seriously, what would the Marines do if the majority of them got such tattoos? Put them ALL in prison and/or discharge them?

My ex was in the army and when he got more work on his sleeve they considered discharging him, I think it is a persons decision as to weither or not they can ink themselves.

man, i can't tell if you're being sarcastic.

i have quite a bit of tattoos and do pretty well for myself not "working at hot topic."