wink said:
If you can't keep from going under the needle to ensure you have the very best application then maybe you are more serious about permenantly inking your body then about being an officer in the Navy or USMC. Get your priorities straight!!
For those who desire to become a naval officer these days, yes, serious thought should be given as to whether to get any form of body art. It is obvious that the DoD is cracking down on tattoos.
However, not everybody knows what the future might bring. I agree that this makes an excellent case for erring on the side of caution, as rejection from military service is one of the "possession risks" (as the healthcare field would call it) of body art.
To say that all potential officers with tattoos are "more serious about permenantly inking [their bodies] then about being [officers] in the Navy or USMC" and need to get their "priorities straight" is unfair, and in many cases, untrue.
Right or wrong, tattoos are somewhat of a right of passage for junior enlisted folks; most are away from their homes for the first time, and peer pressure can be a bear. Is full thought given to the potential implications of their actions? Not always. Contrary to what is posted on airwarriors.com, not everybody enlists with the goal of earning a commission. Most enlist to serve as enlisted servicemen. Many intend to jump ship after their four years.
After time, however, many decide that they love their service, and want to serve as commissioned officers. It took me over four years to decide that I desired a commission; by then *gulp*, the "damage" was done - I had gotten a tattoo. Many of the Marines I will be commissioned with have between 7-12 years of active service behind them already, and I cannot think of any who do not have at least one tattoo.
What would happen if the Corps shut the door on all of us? Well, according to "Finding the Best Relationship With the U.S. Naval Academy" (Marine Corps Gazette, April 2004), a valuable commissioning source would be eliminated. It appears that, at least at TBS, Marine lieutenants with enlisted experience perform at a level considerably above their peers. In short, the Corps would lose many good officers. (I am curious to see if the trend presented in the article continues after TBS...)
The crackdown on tattoos is a very recent event; perhaps in the future, fewer candidates will have body art. However, until the message gets out that tattoos are becoming a taboo in the military, people will continue to get them. We need to ensure that the intent of "higher" is being met: We all have a responsibility to spread the word, educate potential servicemen, and do our best to promote responsible decision-making.
We should not, however, pass judgement.
. what do you think the navy/usmc will say to that?
