What is the Army Tattoo Policy?

Image courtesy of Frederick Shaw @ Unsplash.com

Did you know that more than 40% of Americans between the ages of 18 to 34 have at least one custom tattoo?

Or, that Americans under 55 years of age are twice as likely to have body art compared to individuals who are over the age of 55?

In other words, a heck-of-a-lot of Americans have tattoos these days.

And up until fairly recently, most of those people would have been denied being recruited into the US Army.

However, in 2022, the United States’ Secretary of the Army, Christine E. Wormuth, signed a directive that relaxed the Army’s tattoo policy, making it more inclusive and granting more freedom of expression for all those who wish to serve for their country.

Below, we’re taking a deep dive into everything there is to know about Army tattoo policy, including why these changes were made and what’s allowed depending on which branches of the army you wish to serve in.

Let’s go!

Why Did The Army Change Its Tattoo Policy?

According to The U.S. Army, as of May 2022, the military recruiting process had filed more than 650 tattoo waivers for active duty and reserve recruits that had tattoos.

As you can imagine, this was a colossal waste of time for recruiters, especially when you consider how harmless most tattoos really are.

Therefore, the changes that were made to Army Regulation 670-1 were essentially made to eliminate the waiver process.

In turn, this reduced applicant processing time, and the likelihood that qualified people would be turned away on the sole basis that they had some form of body art.

It also allows soldiers and reserve members to have more freedom of expression, which can boost personnel morale levels, and allow those who serve to be comfortable in their own skin.

Image courtesy of Filip Andrejevic @ Unsplash.com

When you consider how many people have tattoos these days, it’s a bit of a no-brainer that if you want young people to enlist, you’re going to have to be OK with some forms of body art.

But what exactly did the Armed Forces change about their tattoo policy? What’s allowed and what’s not? And are there different policies for each military branch?

The Updated U.S. Army Tattoo Policy

When it comes to having tattoos in the military, tattoo placement is one of the biggest factors that determine what is and isn’t allowed.

For the U.S. Army, the guidelines were updated to allow hand tattoos, neck tattoos, and tattoos behind the ears.

Specifically, as of 2022, active duty personnel and reserve recruits are now allowed:

• Up to one ring tattoo per hand which must not exceed one inch in length.
• One tattoo between their fingers so long as the ink cannot be seen when fingers are joined.
• Tattoos on the back of the neck which must be no longer than 2 inches in length, that do not extend to the side of the soldier’s neck, and must not be seen from the front or side profiles of the individual.
• Tattoos behind each ear no more than one inch in length which must not protrude forward or below the earlobe.

Even with the new guidelines, the U.S. Army continues to prohibit tattoos on the face. However, recruits may file for an exemption for facial tattoos or other cultural tattoos for religious reasons.

As with all branches of the military, allowable tattoo styles must also not be offensive or extremist, or contain any form of hateful speech.

To ensure that all personnel adhere to these guidelines, commanding officers are given the duty of performing annual tattoo inspections.

Coast Guard Tattoo Policy

According to the U.S. Coast’s Guard Tattoo, Body Marking, Body Piercing, and Mutilation Policy, both active duty and reserve forces must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Chest tattoos are allowable, but must not be visible above a standard issue Coast Guard crew neck t-shirt.
• Hand tattoos must be no longer than one inch and shall not extend past the first knuckle.
• One finger tattoo, such as a ring tattoo, is permissible, as long as it is between the first and second knuckle, and on any finger, other than the thumb.

Image courtesy of the United States Coast Guard

U.S. Navy And Marine Corps Tattoo Policy

The Navy has four criteria that it uses to determine whether or not a tattoo is permitted. These are the size, location, content, and cosmetic of the piece.

But in 2016, the United States Marine Corps released a bulletin updating their tattoo policy and replacing all previously released tattoo policy guidelines.

According to the updated guidelines, marines can have an unlimited number of tattoos on their bodies as long as the ink is covered by a standard issue training uniform.

In line with other military branch tattoo policy guidelines, marines are not allowed tattoos on their heads, necks, wrist bones, knees, lips or tongues, or on their hands, other than a single ring tattoo on one finger that must not exceed 3/8s of an inch.

Here are some additional policy guidelines according to the Marine Corps:

• Band tattoos which fully encircle a body part, must not exceed three inches or the width of the marine’s four fingers.
• Upper arm tattoos must not be larger than the individual’s hand with their fingers extended.
• One lower arm tattoo is permissible per arm.
• Visible tattoos are allowed on the upper leg, but must not be bigger than the individual’s hand.
• Only one lower leg tattoo is allowed.

The updated Navy tattoo policy also contains additional information regarding when slacks must be worn if tattoos are visible on the legs and official tools for measuring tattoo sizes, making adherence to guidelines more consistent throughout the corps.

Air Force Tattoo Policy

Similar to other branches, the Air Force updated its tattoo policy in 2022. Here are some of the revised and updated guidelines for all Air Force men and women:

• Tattoos on the head, face, lip or inside of the mouth are prohibited.
• New recruits with small hand tattoo that were allowable under the old guidelines may be grandfathered in.
• Air men and women are allowed one hand tattoo on each hand.
• Ring tattoos are allowed as long as they are no larger than 3/8 of an inch in size.
• One tattoo is allowed on the back of the neck, but it must be no larger than one inch in area.

Image courtesy of Hugo Delauney @ Unsplash.com

US Military Tattoo Policies – Frequently Asked Questions

As you can see, most of the Army’s tattoo policy guidelines are the same regardless of which brand you might be looking at.

Let’s now take a look at some frequently asked questions we’ve heard from Americans who are thinking about enlisting in the Army.

Does The US Military Allow Soldiers To Have Tattoos?

Yes, the Army updated its guidelines in 2022 to allow soldiers more freedom of expression, allowing soldiers to have tattoos as long as they comply with the guidelines set out by each branch of the military.

Can I Join The Army If I Have A Full-Sleeve?

It is likely that you’ll still be able to join the Army even with a full-sleeve tattoo. However, your ink must adhere to the policy guidelines, especially regarding the content of your tattoo. Allowable tattoos must not contain any offensive, extremist, or hateful words or meaning.

Will I Be Discharged If I Get A Tattoo While In The Military?

As long as your new ink doesn’t infringe upon any of the updated tattoo policy guidelines you should not having any issues getting a tattoo. That said, it’s best to avoid getting any tattoos on your head, face, mouth, or anywhere else where it might be visible while in uniform. If in doubt, ask your supervising officer about your branch’s tattoo policy.

Does The Army Cover The Cost Of Tattoo Removal?

No, it is highly unlikely that the military will pay for any type of tattoo removal regardless of whether or not you are an active duty or reserve member. If you must have a tattoo removed, you will need to cover the cost of your tattoo removal on your own.

Thinking about getting a cool new military tattoo? Check out our AI Tattoo Generator to find out what would look best on your skin!