Posted on Sep 24, 2014
Has your military experience inspired you to get a tattoo?
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36% of service members and veterans have tattoos, and more than half of them got their tattoos before deploying. Did you get a tattoo after you joined the military? What inspired you to get one or more?
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Command Post
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 207
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RallyPoint Team. No . . . The Germans inscribed a numbered tattoo on my mother's forearm in Tieresenstadt Concentration Camp in Czechslovakia . . . she very adamantly insisted that I must never get any tattoos . . . because the permanent desecration of the body in this way is against very long standing Jewish tradition . . . Warmest Regards, Sandy
SSG Paul Forel
SSG Paul Forel
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One of my tattoos was inspired after I had to be part of a competition I did not feel ready for and I did not want to do. After finishing the competition I got a lot of compliments even though I did not finish first and I felt like I could do anything I really put my heart and mind into, and I got a tattoo of a quote by Marilyn Monroe that says "Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world" with my combat boots right next to it.
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Cpl Jerry Millar
I have three: USMC on my shoulder when I was in MOS school; one over my heart that is spiritual to me; one on my foot in Thai that reference the martial art of Muay Thai.
All are fully concealable when wearing shorts/tshirt which was/has become very important for me in my post-military career.
All are fully concealable when wearing shorts/tshirt which was/has become very important for me in my post-military career.
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Right on the rib cage.. You are good in my book SGT Lee thats a painful part of the body to get inked. Very detailed and meaningful
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Had a few before enlisting. Have a lot more now - a few were inspired by loss.
Doesn't matter was it symbolized or honors though...it's unprofessional. We were all better Soldiers and leaders before we were inked. Our shot groups were tighter, our pt scores were higher, our ability to lead subordinates more effective, and our ability to accomplish the mission was better. My how far the ink has made us fall...from honorable men and women to ineffective pieces of equipment.
***Hopefully the sarcasm can be sensed***
Doesn't matter was it symbolized or honors though...it's unprofessional. We were all better Soldiers and leaders before we were inked. Our shot groups were tighter, our pt scores were higher, our ability to lead subordinates more effective, and our ability to accomplish the mission was better. My how far the ink has made us fall...from honorable men and women to ineffective pieces of equipment.
***Hopefully the sarcasm can be sensed***
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SPC Brian Aranda
It's entirely possible that the military WOULD require tattoos if there was an option for reflective ink.
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No tattoos prior to serving. I was so proud of being in the Army that on my first pass, I got a tattoo of my Bradley Fighting Vehicle on my left arm. It took 3 hours. Who gets a tattoo of a 27 ton armored vehicle?............this guy!
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PFC Stephens Clark
I waited a long time afterwards, but The Military Tat I got was in Honor of my Father's Passing. he served with the 7th ID in Korea 1950-51 WIA 020951. Battle of Old Baldy.. he lost over 80 of his friends that day. The Tat is the 7th ID Hour Glass with Bayonette In War Invincible Peace Prepared Black Widows Rock...
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SFC (Join to see)
My rule for a tattoo is that it has to be something I will feel as strongly about at 81 years old as I do at 18. With that logic, while still in MP school I got a waving American flag with an eagle with his wings outstretched above the flag. I felt like I would always have the feeling of patriotism and love of country so it was FAR safer than somebody's name. :)
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Actually I got one just recently. 4 dog tags because I'm the 4th generation to join the military from my family.
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SGM Gregory Tarancon IV
Thank you and your family for 4 Generations of selfless service and sacrifice! I can see how this serve as inspiration for getting the tattoo. You should be proud!
I got a tattoo on my right arm and have added to it over the years. It is chain and between every two links is a dog tag with the date and location of a combat tour. The chain leads to a knife handle and the blade has the following Latin inscription: " Sollum Mortis Exsitus Bellum", it a quote from Plato and means - " Only the Dead know the end of War"
I got a tattoo on my right arm and have added to it over the years. It is chain and between every two links is a dog tag with the date and location of a combat tour. The chain leads to a knife handle and the blade has the following Latin inscription: " Sollum Mortis Exsitus Bellum", it a quote from Plato and means - " Only the Dead know the end of War"
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SFC (Join to see)
1SG (Join to see) , how many points would that be worth? I'm just saying.... a few people might go for it if there was some incentive.
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Sgt Erle Mutz
Got a 'crude looking' "hand made" version of Woody Woodpecker on my left shoulder in my squad bay in 1968 right after I came back from Nam. (I "accidentally" burned his head a little - from a torch in 1971.) Then in 2010 I got a beautiful EGA on my right shoulder which I am VERY proud of. Semper Fi Marines!
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No.
The military experience did nothing to move me towards getting one and, if anything, moved me away from getting one.
The military experience did nothing to move me towards getting one and, if anything, moved me away from getting one.
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MSG Brad Sand
Correction, SPC Brian Aranda reminded me that even .50 round would not change my mind...of course an epic wound like that, there would not be much of a mind to change?
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SGT James Hastings
Serving in Japan where the only Japanese ones at the time with tattoos were gangsters kept me from getting one.
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I have gotten all of my tattoos while I have been in the Army. About half of them are military related; deployment dates, unit patch, rank, memorial, etc. Each mean something special to me and I do not regret any of them.
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CPT (Join to see)
You should never regret any of them! Unless of course it was a drunken mistake, glad I never had any of those.
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At age 64 (2 years ago) I decided to memorialize my military experience with this tattoo.
This is in recognition to my unit, my contribution to the unit, and - most importantly - my comrades who didn't return. I dedicate each day of my life in their honor.
This is in recognition to my unit, my contribution to the unit, and - most importantly - my comrades who didn't return. I dedicate each day of my life in their honor.
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I got myself one tattoo before joining the Marine Corps in 1997. I didn't want to go into the service without ink, I know, young and dumb. Since then, I have been addicted to the ink, love it. All of mine have meaning, and I will continue to get more as my budget allows me to do so.
Really good military memorial tattoos are a thing of beauty and wish they could be shown with pride while in uniform, versus how the direction of "ink" is going and being seen as unprofessional.
Really good military memorial tattoos are a thing of beauty and wish they could be shown with pride while in uniform, versus how the direction of "ink" is going and being seen as unprofessional.
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LT Annala, thank you for sharing this very powerful memory...
But, to each their own! I have also seen some great body art and some that tell great stories too. Again, I have no tattoos, but I don't begrudge those that do, as long as they are smart about them and protect themselves form a healthcare perspective.