Military Tattoos

Military tattoos have become an important part of the tradition of military service, as well as a major type of tattoo style.

US Marine with tattoo.

Early Military Tattoos

Some of the earliest military style tattoos were found on British tribesmen. When Julius Caesar and his troops encountered these tribal warriors, they were shocked by the intricate blue tattoos that covered the hands and faces of their foes. It is thought that the early Britons tattooed their bodies in order to strike fear into their enemies, by looking fierce and different. These tribal tattoos may have also been a way of designating rank or combat position.

In 1778, Captain James Cook landed in the Hawaiian islands, and one of the first things he noted here was the amount of tattoos seen on the warriors. They were used to show rank in this culture as well, but also as disguise or camouflage. Some warriors even had entire half-body tattoos done in black ink. These "half-body" designs were also used for camouflage purposes.

Tattoos in the Modern Military

Military tattoos as we know them today really started during the Civil War. Soldiers on both the Union and Confederate sides often got tattoos to mark their loyalty to the cause, and many sailors of this time also were inked with anchors and other maritime images. Since the 1800's, each war has inspired its own tattoos, ranging from slogans against enemies to large American flags.

Today, each branch of the military has its own rules and regulations about what sort of military tattoos are proper and what sort of content is allowable in other tattoos.

US Army

The United States Army has recently revised their policy on tattoos and other body modifications. Previously, any tattoo on the hands or neck would be disallowed, but now these tattoos have been permitted. No facial tattoos are permitted, but visible tattoos on other parts of the body are now allowed as long as they are tasteful and are not "extremist, indecent, sexist or racist".

US Navy

The US Navy allows tattoos of many types, but there are certain limits. No tattoos may be visible on the head or face, and they must be covered when the Navy uniform is worn. There may be no tattoos that are sexist, racist or offensive, and in a different twist, the Navy also gives specific rules against body modifications as well. No forked or split tongues are allowed, and no implants under the skin, just to name two of the rules.

Sources for Tattoos in the Military Style

If you are a soldier or other military personnel looking to get a military themed tattoo, there are some resources that you can use to find the perfect image:

• Talk to fellow soldiers. They may have some tats that you would like to copy or pattern yours after.
• Many tattoo parlors have ready made flash art that is perfect for military tattoos.
• Etattoos.net has images of military ink, as well as resource links.

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