Is it ok for a warrant to get tattoos?

What does having tattoos have to do with how effective a Warrant Officer I am? If you notice, none of my ink falls below my ASU cuff nor do they fall above my neckline. My command loves the job I am doing, the effect I have on Soldiers and Leaders. I am in a Bachelor's program for Space Studies. My Leaders are urged to take college. I believe that we have more pressing issues such as Soldier/Leader standards and discipline issues, wasted funds throughout our government where they could be used elsewhere, and the promoting of quality Soldiers/Leaders not quantity. But what do I know, I am only a CW2.

I'm not sure I fully understand what you are asking. AR 670-1 applies to all, no matter rank ,in terms of the tattoo portion. Are you asking is it against an unwritten rule or taboo? Either way it's your choice what to do with your body as long as in compliance. It cannot hinder any career progression if that's your worry. No board has a picture of you outside of your ASU's. There is nothing in the file with an asterisk denoting SM has a tattoo. But I would say if it's a worry to you that you feel the need to ask on here, a permanent decision like that might not be best for you right now, just my opinion.

Your concern with getting a tattoo might be....what is allowed today under the regs, may be forbidden tomorrow. And while you may get grandfathered at a later date, there is no guarantee.

CW2 Stephen Pate I totally agree with the tattoos, as long as they are in the right places. I've had them while I Commanded at the Brigade Level twice and got one from my deployment. Since I've retired I've added some below the elbow. I had them where they couldn't be seen in any of my uniforms, but they could be after hours. Go for it Mr. Pate!

I can't speak to the feeling in the Army today, but I agree with the comparison with the mustache bias that was definitely there in the 70s and 80s. While clearly authorized by reg, it was looked on very negatively by senior officers if an officer had a mustache. There was a joke that the first screening promotion boards did was look at the photo and put all those with mustaches in the NO pile. So even officers with mustaches shaved them for their official photos. One CG (I. Think he was at Ft Hood) told his officers that he considered it an i tegrity violation if an officer had a mustache at Hood but not on their official file. It sounds ridiculous, but the taboo was that strong against officers having mustache, even though clearly authorized by reg.

I don't know if tattoos are treated the same way if they aren't seen while in uniform. But I would just suggest that it won't matter what the reg says. A bias can exist in spite of the regs. And maybe the WO community is different. But officer boards promote people in their own image.

Don't ask me... I don't understand why ANY human would get a tattoo. I tattoo goats to identify them and their bloodlines for the American Dairy Goat Association registry.

CW2 Stephen Pate Wait until COL Mikel J. Burroughs reads you post!

Be discreet, follow a conservative policy; policies change and squeeze where it hurts!

I would rather see a tattoo, then this from an officer:

Ink on Officers is like Mustaches on Officers.

I've never seen anything in any reg that expressly forbids either of them... but it's also rare as hell to see an O with either of them. It's one of the "isms" that don't seem to be done, like a (sub)cultural paux pas.

If you're going to get one, make sure it won't be seen in any working uniform (including PT gear) or any official photo. Unfortunately, books are judged by their covers.

CW2 Stephen Pate, I never wanted one whether I was enlisted or commissioned, so I don't think I would have wanted one had I been a warrant officer. Tattoos are much in vogue now, but just not for me.

BTW, Maj John Bell, this was my response, way back when!