Marine Corps and Some Police Force Banning Tattoos - Is This An Appropriate Request?

The soldier part was because coming from a military family, I was used to only seeing Tattoo's on soldiers and have heard that comment before. Its not my personal feeling, just one I have heard reflected often. Cops I really do not have a opinion on one way or another. Its up to them.

I still panic a little for the day when My 25 yr old daughter add's a few more tattoo's !

Yes Scott, I come from the really really old school when it comes to tattoo's I guess, I always like the human body pretty much the way it was built without additions.....

The current rumor is "maybe just one" I am not sure to be honest...We live on opposite coasts.

my dad finally stopped freaking out about the tattoos and piercings when I was 29...
I got my septum pierced and he didn't even mention it. He hasn't said anything about any of the tatts I've gotten since then.

Yes, because nothing says "I'm an individual" like getting a tattoo because all your friends have one.

You aren't trying to free the sheep, you're just suggesting a different pasture.

yes and we all know that people get tattoos just because all their friends have one. Give me a break.

Isn't that the definition of a fad? And tatts seem to be quite the fad right now.

I currently have 16 tattoos, my wife is also heavily inked, she has a sleeve, and I can confidently say that I or any of the other tattooed folk I know have gotten inked to fit in or please any one else. All of the artists I know are very dedicated to the craft. They all have some type of art background. A few are RISD grads. Another artist I know has traveled the world learning new techniques and experiencing them firsthand so to speak. I work at a university and the world is much heavier inked than it was when I was a kid.

I work at a university and the world is much heavier inked than it was when I was a kid.

You know, they call the area outside of the comfortable bubble of academia "the real world" for a reason. I wouldn't extrapolate too much from experience there.

So I take it that you, a person who knows nothing about me is implying that I do not live in the "real world" because I've been working at a university for all of 5 months of my 43 years on this planet. I was simply making the observation that when I was younger tattoos were not as prevalent as they are today and have moved out of the realm of taboo into the mainstream. Even the kids heavily involved with their churches are getting religious themed tattoos.

No, I am cautioning you on extrapolating too much. Many of those kids have em lasered off before applying for jobs or have them in non-obvious places: I know because my business hires lots of new graduates and my experience is totally at variance with yours. If anything, we've seen a decline in obvious body modifications in our applicants.

Yup, dropped a neither.
A.A., The writings on the wall, or in this case the skin.

A 2006 study done by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that 24% of Americans between 18 and 50 are tattooed; that's almost one in four. And the survey showed that about 36% of Americans age 18 to 29 have at least one tattoo.

According to the American Society of Dermatological Surgery, they stated in 2005, that of all the people they treat with laser and light therapy, only 6% are getting a tattoo removed.

**Many of those kids have em lasered off before applying for jobs or have them in non-obvious places**

Earlier you stated getting tattooed was a fad. It's no secret tattoos are permanent. Lasering is a costly, time consuming and painful process. Though I'm sure it happens, I cannot see getting a tattoo for a few years then lasering it off to enter the work force. Tattoo removal is not covered by insurance.
The fact that tats are in non-obvious places is besides the point. Like I said you don't get inked for other people you do it for yourself. It doesn't matter if anyone can see it, it's how it makes you feel.
What happens when 1 out of 3 Americans are tattooed? 5 years from now our Dr.s and lawyers will have a tattoo somewhere, but at least our cops and marines will be art free.

Yup, dropped a neither.
A.A., The writings on the wall, or in this case the skin.

A 2006 study done by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that 24% of Americans between 18 and 50 are tattooed; that's almost one in four. And the survey showed that about 36% of Americans age 18 to 29 have at least one tattoo.

According to the American Society of Dermatological Surgery, they stated in 2005, that of all the people they treat with laser and light therapy, only 6% are getting a tattoo removed.

**Many of those kids have em lasered off before applying for jobs or have them in non-obvious places**

Earlier you stated getting tattooed was a fad. It's no secret tattoos are permanent. Lasering is a costly, time consuming and painful process. Though I'm sure it happens, I cannot see getting a tattoo for a few years then lasering it off to enter the work force. Tattoo removal is not covered by insurance.
The fact that tats are in non-obvious places is besides the point. Like I said you don't get inked for other people you do it for yourself. It doesn't matter if anyone can see it, it's how it makes you feel.
What happens when 1 out of 3 Americans are tattooed? 5 years from now our Dr.s and lawyers will have a tattoo somewhere, but at least our cops and marines will be art free.

Yup, dropped a neither.
A.A., The writings on the wall, or in this case the skin.

A 2006 study done by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that 24% of Americans between 18 and 50 are tattooed; that's almost one in four. And the survey showed that about 36% of Americans age 18 to 29 have at least one tattoo.

According to the American Society of Dermatological Surgery, they stated in 2005, that of all the people they treat with laser and light therapy, only 6% are getting a tattoo removed.

**Many of those kids have em lasered off before applying for jobs or have them in non-obvious places**

Earlier you stated getting tattooed was a fad. It's no secret tattoos are permanent. Lasering is a costly, time consuming and painful process. Though I'm sure it happens, I cannot see getting a tattoo for a few years then lasering it off to enter the work force. Tattoo removal is not covered by insurance.
The fact that tats are in non-obvious places is besides the point. Like I said you don't get inked for other people you do it for yourself. It doesn't matter if anyone can see it, it's how it makes you feel.
What happens when 1 out of 3 Americans are tattooed? 5 years from now our Dr.s and lawyers will have a tattoo somewhere, but at least our cops and marines will be art free.

Yup, dropped a neither.
A.A., The writings on the wall, or in this case the skin.

A 2006 study done by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that 24% of Americans between 18 and 50 are tattooed; that's almost one in four. And the survey showed that about 36% of Americans age 18 to 29 have at least one tattoo.

According to the American Society of Dermatological Surgery, they stated in 2005, that of all the people they treat with laser and light therapy, only 6% are getting a tattoo removed.

**Many of those kids have em lasered off before applying for jobs or have them in non-obvious places**

Earlier you stated getting tattooed was a fad. It's no secret tattoos are permanent. Lasering is a costly, time consuming and painful process. Though I'm sure it happens, I cannot see getting a tattoo for a few years then lasering it off to enter the work force. Tattoo removal is not covered by insurance.
The fact that tats are in non-obvious places is besides the point. Like I said you don't get inked for other people you do it for yourself. It doesn't matter if anyone can see it, it's how it makes you feel.
What happens when 1 out of 3 Americans are tattooed? 5 years from now our Dr.s and lawyers will have a tattoo somewhere, but at least our cops and marines will be art free.

Sorry this posted 3 times. Seems there was a server issue and it kept locking up on me.

Julie Bell

Whoa ! Her artwork is unreal, I have never seen someone with the detail and awesome colors that she uses.

I am a huge fan of Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell and others. I started drawing imitating comic books and worked up to some fantasy art. It is a hobby I don't get to work on much any more. I should have gone to art school, but oh well. I'm still a fan.

A friend of mine has a signed copy of I think this one from

Julie Bell

Any true artist won't work on you if you've been drinking. Alcohol thins the blood and can cause uneven coloration and affect the thickness of line work.

Me Too, that was just the first thing that popped into my head as far as having something right up in your face. Bad breath would be worse...

I have not had a tattoo removed but I hear it is very expensive and very painful.

to me tattoo removal=tool

I know someone who had extensive tattoos removed from his shoulders/upper arms. It required skin grafts on the same order as a serious burn recovery. This was pre-laser though. I don't think that the laser surgery is nearly as painful, but it is time consuming and costs far more than the original tatt. Be sure you're sure you want it for life would be my advice. Removal is surgery and insurance won't pay as it is elective cosmetic by their calculations.

Tattoos should be considered permanent. If you even have an inkling that one day you may not want it you shouldn't be getting a tattoo. People who walk into a tattoo shop and pick a tattoo off the wall. To each their own but to me that is ridiculous. I always put a lot of thought and research in before I get any work done.

I'm a wimp too Scott, and believe me depending on where you're getting your tatt the pain can be shocking. :( But I think it's worth it. It took me about 4 years or more after I got my back tatt done (not the trampstamp) to work up the nerve to get more ink. Even then it was a quick fairly painless. I'm working up the cojones to get a shoulder piece.

Plus i'm a wimp

me too....

but not as big a wimp as Scott of course.

serious burn recovery.

I can say one thing for that and that it 100% total hell, all of it. Laser has made it much easier, but it is not fun at all ! I had a heck of a hard time getting off of Ocycontin after going thru that mess as I was taking 80 mg twice per day after I had worked up to that does. That's about enough to knock out a horse....Yet the pain was still there.

I'm not that wimpy either XP

shiki, you are one of the few "unwimpy ones"

but now I am curious...sorry.....Didn't that Tramp Stamp hurt like crazy ? whoa I think I would want to be knocked out for find something really good to take before that. I would think those nerves endings you would really feel it !

believe me I'm a wimp. The tramp stamp didn't hurt much, I actually nodded off while he was doing it. The tattoo that runs down my neck to the middle of my back hurt like hell. It brought me to tears. As soon as he started it felt like he was carving me up with a razor and I was like oh crap, what have I gotten myself into...but once he put the needle to my flesh I was committed...it was 7 hours of pure hell.

backtatt

latest tatt side a and side b

Whoa shiki, Nice work ! That BackTatt is awesome ! I cannot imagine 7 hours of going thru that ! I can well imagine that would hurt, especially anything around the neck region and also down the spin as there are so many millions of nerve endings in that area. You are a brave one !

believe me if I'd known how incredibly painful it was going to be I might have designed a smaller piece :)

but it was worth it IMO

In this case it was the views portrayed, because how often are you going to see a guy's back? Even if he had it removed I wouldn't want him around, but I'm sort of intolerant about intolerance.

25% of your arm from where a rolled up shirt fits, by reg 1" above the inside bend of the elbow, is a fair amount when you get down to it. Working in a t-shirt 25% is an even bigger amount of the arm. I know a few guys that have yakuza amounts of tattoos, but with a t-shirt on you can't see any of them. They plan on getting the rest done when they go civilian.

Thankfully those don't come up too often, I hate scrubbing up elbow to elbow, but somehow, somebody knew he'd been inked and made a complaint. How the word got out they were pretty careful not to say. Needless to say that sort of sentiment doesn't cut it and he was gone in record time.

Any size and he would have been gone.