Why are tattoos and haircuts so important? (Read details before responding)

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 19:52:27 -0400

I'm not saying there shouldn't be a standard for both tattoos and haircuts. I just think we're focusing on the wrong areas. I think physical fitness and MOS proficiency should be the first place the Army starts.

Response by SFC James Baber made Apr 4 at 2014 8:19 PM

SFC James Baber — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 20:19:12 -0400

SFC S.,

I completely agree, while grooming standards are a priority for military standards, I think that there has been some over the top issues related to tattoos, while I understand the professional need, tattoos have been a part of military heritage going back a lot farther than any of us could remember.

I do think that physical and mental fitness along with MOS/job proficiency should higher on the mentality list than tattoos or grooming, although important in their own right.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 4 at 2014 8:57 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 20:57:11 -0400

Absolutely correct, Give the soldiers a quick class on the
new standards ensure they know and understand them. Then get back to SERGEANT
TIME TRAINING and training on the important things such as the total soldier
concept.

Response by LTC Jason Strickland made Apr 5 at 2014 10:58 AM

LTC Jason Strickland — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 10:58:13 -0400

Sean, you're absolutely on target. Let's keep the most important things as "the most important things."

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Apr 6 at 2014 7:35 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Sun, 06 Apr 2014 19:35:07 -0400

Says it well enough...

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2014 8:14 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Apr 2014 20:14:46 -0400

Good thing this fellow got into the Navy because his tattoos do not meet the new Army Professional Standard.

Also I believe he would need a vision waiver...

His hair is in compliance, but his tobacco habit would require behavior modification.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2014 9:55 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Apr 2014 21:55:29 -0400

I agree 100%. If the goal of maintaining a professional
appearance is to instill the public’s trust and respect in its armed forces; to
assume that a Soldier is squared away, just because they maintain a fresh
haircut and do not have tattoos is very deceiving. The reality of the situation
is the Soldiers who do maintain the above appearance standards, but are not
physically fit, incapable of performing physical tasks, and are incompetent at
their profession. Why not put the focus on the Soldiers who are physically fit,
perform physical tasks with ease, and are competent at their profession. The
Army is a profession which demands a certain lifestyle. Embracing the lifestyles
of the successful in our profession should be the top priority.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made Apr 6 at 2014 10:22 PM

SGM Matthew Quick — Sun, 06 Apr 2014 22:22:25 -0400

There's no reason we can't do all at the same time.

It'll all start with the recruiting and accessions screening (education) and then lead through IMT (physically build) and MOS training (job proficiency).

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 7 at 2014 5:42 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 17:42:50 -0400

I absolutely agree with you, as a man with longer hair, I appreciate the approach you are taking to this.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 24 at 2014 6:37 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 18:37:23 -0400

I agree with you SFC Spinks. I also think common military customs and courtesies need to fall into that one. I am a 13B30 instructor with Oklahoma national guard. We have NCO's come through here that can barley pass the APFT. Or the ones I get irritated at are the ones that just appear to be a PT stud and they do their bare minimum and get up. We re-implemented the APFT into the Guard NCOES academies two years ago. There was a span of I know at least four years that it was not a requirement. The hair cut does not make the leader. But his personal actions and ethics do. I get E2 -E5 soldiers go through the MOSQ portion all the time that try to approach my Master Sergeant and talk with their hands and MF this and MF that. But we are not allowed to do much more than just an on the spot verbal correction. What happened to the days that you could just drop them and smoke the snot out of them? According to new regulations you should have them write an essay on customs and courtesies. With the changes in the military I think I will only make my 20 and hang it up. I wonder if the Active side has had this much of a decrease of military morals???

Response by CPT Daniel Walk, M.B.A. made May 3 at 2014 4:28 PM

CPT Daniel Walk, M.B.A. — Sat, 03 May 2014 16:28:17 -0400

I see this whole thing as resource management.

We are in a legal climate where measurable and observable characteristics must make the difference in accessions and promotions.The tattoo policy gives specific guidelines on deciding the future of the force.

Tattoos are a demonstrable way of evaluating an individuals decision making capabilities. Any person with elaborate tattoos who also has credit card debt, automobile debt, or other non-tax deductible debt instruments demonstrates the potential to be a short-term thinker who will not manage his or her own scarce resources very well. If a person cannot manage themselves, how can they manage others. Given a pool of candidates for accession or promotion, the Army is choosing to accept those who make decisions in a specific manner, where the end result is observable.

Does this solve the problem or create certainty about the desired result, absolutely not. However, it aggregates several areas Army leadership considers important and creates observable measures.

My questions is this: Why are so many people confounded by the tattoo issue and nobody seems to have a problem with prohibiting giant holes in ears?

Where do you draw the line? If you think elaborate tattoos are acceptable, why not allow all the prohibited appearances?

Someone has to make decisions. The more time that people spend pouting and kicking their rock down the street, the less time is being spent on PT and MOS Proficiency.