New Marine regulations prohibit 'sleeve tattoos'

BY EDIE GROSS

Just outside the gates of Quantico Marine Corps Base, the Twisted Ink tattoo shop does a brisk business.

Fresh from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Marines commemorate their service--and sometimes friends lost--with images on their biceps, forearms and calves.

Requests for the prominently displayed designs exploded this week after Marines learned that, starting tomorrow, they'll no longer be allowed to get them.

The Corps is prohibiting what it calls "sleeve tattoos," which cover large areas of a person's arms or legs. Anything that can be seen when a Marine is wearing a workout T-shirt and shorts is basically a no-no.

Existing tattoos will be grandfathered in, so Shawn Sadowski and Hossein Roshandel at Twisted Ink were trying to honor as many requests as possible.

"We've had quite a bit come in, trying to get all their stuff done by the deadline," said Sadowski, who was anticipating late nights this weekend. "We'll probably be in here till like 3 in the morning."

The stricter tattoo policy takes aim at "excessive" body art, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway told The Associated Press.

"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."

Gregory Harmon disagreed. The artist at All American Tattoo on Garrisonville Road in North Stafford got all eight of his tattoos while serving in the Marines.

He didn't think the new policy would hurt recruiting or retention efforts--"Marines don't serve for money, and they don't serve for tattoos," he said--but Marines who might normally ink intricate memorials to their buddies on their arms and legs will have to place those designs on their torsos now.

"I'm sorry that Marines overseas right now will hear about this and not be able to honor their fallen brothers and sisters the way they were planning," Harmon said.

Kenny Brown, co-owner of Jack Brown's Tattoo Revival in Fredericksburg, said six Marines asked him to tattoo on their arms an M-16, a pair of boots, a helmet and some dog tags in memory of a friend who died. They needed the work done by Sunday, but Brown was booked.

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The Marines and the other branches of the military already ban tattoos that could be offensive or disruptive, such as images that are sexist, vulgar, gang-related or extremist. Highlights of their individual policies:

MARINES

The new policy, which takes effect tomorrow, forbids "sleeve" tattoos: the large, often elaborate designs on the biceps, forearms and lower legs of many Marines. Small, individual tattoos will still be allowed on the arms and legs. The Corps already bans them on the hands. Marines already tattooed are exempt from the ban but cannot add to their designs.

ARMY

Struggling to fill its ranks, the Army relaxed its tattoo rules last year. Soldiers can now get ink on the back of their hands and the lower back of the neck.

NAVY

Last year decreed that tattoos visible while in short-sleeve uniform cannot be larger than the wearer's hand.

Air Force

Tattoos must be covered if they are bigger than one-quarter the size of the exposed body part.

--The Associated Press

Date published: 3/31/2007

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