Beginning Sunday, tattoos taboo for Marines.

[babylonsister]

http://newsgrinder.blogspot.com/2007/03/beginning-sunday-tattoos-taboo-for.html

Beginning Sunday, tattoos taboo for Marines.

Leathernecks are steamed and here's why:

"Five tattooed skulls stretch from Marine Cpl. Jeremy Slaton's right elbow to his wrist, spelling out the word "Death." He planned to add a tattoo spelling "Life" on his left arm, but that's on hold because of a Marine policy taking effect Sunday.

"The Marines are banning any new, extra-large tattoos below the elbow or the knee, saying such body art is harmful to the Corps' spit-and-polish image."

This is how Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway explains the thinking behind the new decree:

"Some Marines have taken the liberty of tattooing themselves to a point that is contrary to our professional demeanor and the high standards America has come to expect from us," he said. "I believe tattoos of an excessive nature do not represent our traditional values."

Read more here:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=2989075

[demnan]

1. What must have happened?

Did some big ol' marine tatoo "IMPEACH BUSH" on his arm or something?

[BOSSHOG]

5. More likely

tatoos of a racist nature or of a gang affiliation or pornographic in nature. Young Sailors and Marines and Soldiers have way too much testosterone flowing to be too cerebral about politics.

[genie_weenie]

2. Oh they've been issuing this directive off and on again

since at least 2003. And prior to that in the 90s, there were bans on forearm tats.

[Squatch]

3. I think it looks monumentaly unprofessional to have tattoos

showing above the collar and below shirt sleeves while wearing a military uniform...and I have tattoos.

[BOSSHOG]

4. Roger that teammate

Back in the 90's the Navy prohibited instructors to have any visible tatoos while on the podium. So female instructors who had them on the ankle had to wear pants instead of skirts. And some knuckleheads have gotten tatoos of a racial nature which doesn't exactly pump up esprit d'corps.

[Orsino]

7. I don't completely agree...

...but the Army as well as the Corps have long banned the acquisition of visible tattoos. It strikes me as kinda stupid, though, to prohibit a service member's getting ink that is grandfathered in for other troops.

The headline is misleading. Marines will continue to get tattoos; they'll just get them in different places now.

[zbdent]

6. First spinach, and now tattoos on the forearms ... boy, Popeye's

gonna start hitting the sauce ...