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Tattoo questions
- Thread starter BRM21o
- Start date
AviatorMR239
Registered User
what was involved with getting the waiver?
AviatorMR239
Registered User
i have 2 that i need to get waivered, do you know if they have to be done separately? my oso didn't mention a diagram, but he took pics, he just said to write an explanation for them
Tatoos and the USMC
Hello everyone,
I was wondering if someone could help me out with a bit of a problem. I have a friend who very badly wants to enlist in the Marines. What I mean by this is that she called me today in tears because she had been refused due to the fact that she has a tatoo that covers her entire arm.
Apparently, in the last 4 months or so, a new regulation had been imposed restricting recruitment to anyone who has a tatoo covering more than 25% of any exposed body part. She's absolutely crushed, especially because she had originally hoped to enlist several months ago, but delayed because of personal reasons. She had originally tried to join several months ago and fell just short of one section of the test.
She's been to every recruiter for the armed forces in town (she very much wants to be a marine though) and they've all pretty much said "there's nothing we can do for you without a waiver" although they universally praised her requisitites as being the qualities of a great soldier.
Does anybody have any suggestions, ideas, opinions, or comments on any way she could enlist? I would hope very strongly that her choice of body art (which was done over 8 years ago) would not prevent the United States Armed Forces from accepting a qualified applicant.
I'd certainly appreciate any advice anyone has. Thanks for your time.
Hello everyone,
I was wondering if someone could help me out with a bit of a problem. I have a friend who very badly wants to enlist in the Marines. What I mean by this is that she called me today in tears because she had been refused due to the fact that she has a tatoo that covers her entire arm.
Apparently, in the last 4 months or so, a new regulation had been imposed restricting recruitment to anyone who has a tatoo covering more than 25% of any exposed body part. She's absolutely crushed, especially because she had originally hoped to enlist several months ago, but delayed because of personal reasons. She had originally tried to join several months ago and fell just short of one section of the test.
She's been to every recruiter for the armed forces in town (she very much wants to be a marine though) and they've all pretty much said "there's nothing we can do for you without a waiver" although they universally praised her requisitites as being the qualities of a great soldier.
Does anybody have any suggestions, ideas, opinions, or comments on any way she could enlist? I would hope very strongly that her choice of body art (which was done over 8 years ago) would not prevent the United States Armed Forces from accepting a qualified applicant.
I'd certainly appreciate any advice anyone has. Thanks for your time.
Yeah...
Thanks for the reply.
That is one option (I am not sure if that is something that she would be willing to consider or not) but it is also very expensive. I think the total procedure over multiple treatments could be in the thousands. She's a college student... I will ask, but I am not sure if that is something that she would be willing to consider or not.
Thanks for the reply.
That is one option (I am not sure if that is something that she would be willing to consider or not) but it is also very expensive. I think the total procedure over multiple treatments could be in the thousands. She's a college student... I will ask, but I am not sure if that is something that she would be willing to consider or not.
CLAM97to99
New Member
Not to mention there is usually still a scar outline of the tattoo after it is removed. Then the question would be would that be considered a brand which is also a no-no. Getting exposed tattoos is something that you really need to think about before you do it. Although I know they do give wavers. When I went for my MEPS physical there was two guys enlisting, one in the Army and the other in Air Force that had pretty big tattoos on their arms. They weren’t sleeves though. So she might try and get a waiver from one of the other branches. Although with sleeves it will probably be hard to get.
Yeah, unfortunately it is a sleeve.
Are by any chance the waivers accepted cross military? If she could get an Army waiver, would that increase her chances of getting the USMC to waive her tatoo? I understand the different branches have different acceptances of such a thing.
Thanks a lot.
Are by any chance the waivers accepted cross military? If she could get an Army waiver, would that increase her chances of getting the USMC to waive her tatoo? I understand the different branches have different acceptances of such a thing.
Thanks a lot.
CLAM97to99
New Member
I didn’t have to get a waiver for mine so I really don’t know. I don’t think it works that way. I think there is an individual department in each branch that decides if a waiver will be given. But no matter what branch she will try and join I am willing to bet that it will be extremely hard to get a waiver with a sleeve
Right before I got out of the Marine Corps the Air Force was starting their program with getting tatoos removed or get out. If you chose to remove your tatoo, the base hospital was signing people up and all I heard was it was A LOT more painful taking it off than it was getting it put on.
The Marine Corps had a "rule of thumb" that if you had a visible tatoo you could not be an officer. In fact I never met an officer who had a visible tatoo. However the enlisted folks had plenty, even my DI had one, but now it has changed. The military wants to have a more professional look and trying to get in with sleeves will be hard. If this is something she wants, she will have to decide which is more important. The tatoo or a life changing experience on Paris Island.
The Marine Corps had a "rule of thumb" that if you had a visible tatoo you could not be an officer. In fact I never met an officer who had a visible tatoo. However the enlisted folks had plenty, even my DI had one, but now it has changed. The military wants to have a more professional look and trying to get in with sleeves will be hard. If this is something she wants, she will have to decide which is more important. The tatoo or a life changing experience on Paris Island.
CLAM97to99
New Member
I'd have to agree there is pretty much no way of getting in as on officer in any branch with a sleeve. Her only possible choice would be to enlist, and even that road would be a tough one.
Chubby
Active Member
I've seen at least one OC with a sleeve but that was Navy and two years ago. I talked to him about it and said he had to get a waiver for it, so you never know, don't let her give up on that waiver. He was prior as well though, don't know if that had anything to do with it. However, I have no idea about any new req's since then. Sorry I can't be more help.