The areas of the body that are prohibited are head, neck and face. Basically if you can see it in your passport photo and when wearing a T-Shirt, that's a no no. Tattoos that are deemed inappropriate, offensive or violate regulations can disqualify you from enlisting or advancing your force career.
So can you have tattoos in the military? Yes! But each branch has different, specific rules on where you can get them. Make sure to research your branch's rules closely, and reach out to a recruiter or your CO to clarify any questions that may come up.
Face tattoos are prohibited, and soldiers are not allowed to cover up tattoos with bandages or wrappings to comply with the policy, officials said. Tattoo designs must not contain any "offensive, extremist or hateful words or images."
Tattoo Guidelines for the Military
Any tattoo that is visible from under your clothing will most likely need to be removed before joining the military. These include the hands, wrists, neck, upper chest and other locations.
Tattoos located on the ears, behind the ears, on the neck (below the jawline) viewable from the front as well as those on the back of the neck may be waived by Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, on a case-by-case basis. No tattoos are permitted on the head, face or scalp.
Hand, arm, leg, neck, and ring tattoos can be exposed and visible while wearing any uniform combination. Chest and back tattoos will not be visible through any uniform combination or visible while wearing an open collar uniform.
Tattoos or brands on the head, neck, face, scalp and inside of the mouth are still prohibited under the new Air Force tattoo regulations for enlisted servicemen and officers. Those in the Air Force are also not allowed to have any visible piercing while in uniform.
Ink Armor sleeves by Tat2X were designed specifically to help people cover up their tattoos. No tattoos in the Army doesn't mean you have to have them removed. Our U.S. Made Ink Armor sleeves can help you comply with military tattoo policy.
Generally speaking yes. Make sure it's not an open scab when you get to training, so no later than 3–5 days before you ship. Each service has its own rules for tattoos.
Can the only son be drafted? Sleeve tattoos are now allowed but cannot fall below the wrist. Band tattoos (i.e. tribal bands) are permitted. Tattoos are not allowed above the collar bone and cannot be seen above the uniformed fitted T-shirt.
Q: Are tattoos simply banned by the ADF? A: Absolutely not. In fact, the ADF sees some Australian army tattoos as a way to express “a sense of identity, belonging and a form of remembrance”.
It's true that there are no limits as to how many tattoos, and the size of those tattoos, a soldier can have on their arms, legs, chest, and torso. You can be tatted up pretty good in the Army.
However, the Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) website states, “Tattoos will not disqualify you from gaining employment at the CIA, and all professionally-qualified persons are encouraged to apply.”
Yes, navy seals can have tattoos. There is no law announcing that a Navy seal cannot have tattoos. However, there are some limitations and restrictions regarding the placement and design of tattoos. As of March 2016, tattoos including full sleeves are acceptable.
Almost half (48%) of the soldiers were serious/very serious about getting a tattoo, with 31% stating that there were "no reasons" to keep them from getting a tattoo. More than one-third (36%) were tattooed, with 22% possessing three or more tattoos.
The odds are that if a military service member or veteran lifts their sleeve, they will reveal an impressive number of tattoos. For many veterans, their tattoos represent time in service, the sacrifices they made and honor those who have fallen in the line of duty. In some cases, tattoos cover physical battle scars.
The Army will now allow Soldiers to have one tattoo on each hand that does not exceed one inch in length. Soldiers also have the option to place one tattoo no larger than two inches on the back of their neck and one, inch-long tattoo behind each ear.
Each branch has slightly different rules when it comes to visible tattoos, and some of that depends on the job you have in the military. As a general rule, as long as the tattoos aren't found to be offensive, then it generally isn't a problem. But you may want to call and talk to a recruiter about it.
Prohibited items for basic training. Weapons of any type. Pocketknives, firearms, ammunition, fireworks, clubs, batons, brass knuckles, straight razors, ice picks and so on are not allowed. Tobacco products and lighters.
Beards and sideburns are banned in all military and police forces since the early 20th century. A clean-shaved face is considered part of a spirit of order, hygiene and discipline. Stubble is also considered unacceptable and controlled with severity.
There are no rules or regulations on how many tattoos you can get in a day, but we have our recommendations here at HUSH. One recommendation is that you don't do more than what is necessary and realistic. Multiple tattoos in a session can cause a whole lot of stress to your body.
Sleeves over ink
To cover up tattoos on your arms or wrists, clothes with long sleeves may work best. You still have the ability to bunch up your sleeves on warmer days and keep your tattoo hidden.
– Unlimited tattoos between the fingers, as long as they cannot be seen when the fingers are closed. This also does not include the ring tattoo. – One tattoo on the back of the neck cannot be more than 2 inches in measurement. – One tattoo behind the ear no more than 1 inch and not to extend past the ear lobe.
Generally speaking, visits to a tattoo removal clinic will be on your own dime—the government will not pay for you to have a tattoo removed, nor will health insurance. Fortunately, we do offer special discounts for military recruits, active duty, and veterans – it's our way of saying, “thank you for your service!”
The army prohibits tattoos related to an extremist group, sexist, or even racist. You cannot have tattoos on your head, face, neck, or hands, except for permanent makeup and a ring tattoo on each hand.