Armed Forces Tattoos

Armed Forces Tattoos are some of the most popular and significant tats being done today. Many servicemen and women consider the act of getting an armed forces tattoo a necessary rite of passage-- and perhaps nowhere is the symbolism of body art more powerful than with armed forces tattoos.

In many ways armed forces tattoos are the oldest form of tats in America. Navy sailors traveling around the world in the early 1900’s brought exotic tattoo designs from places like Yokahama, Borneo, and New Zealand and introduced them into American culture through port cities like New York and San Francisco. It wasn’t long before these early armed forces tattoos spread to other branches of the military.

Though many of the themes may be the same, each section of the military has different armed forces tattoos within its each individual branch. Members of the Army are known to favor eagles, the US flag, unit patches, and armed forces tattoos that commemorate POW’s and MIA’s. Common Marine Corps tattoos include unit designs, bulldogs, camouflage, and the instantly recognizable USMC logo. The Navy, with its long history of armed forces tattoos, prefers tats of anchors (one of the most tattooed images in the world), navy caps, and submarines. Though members of the Air Force aren’t as likely to get an armed forces tattoo, when they do it’s usually of pilot wings and planes.

The US Military’s position on Armed Forces tattoos is one of moderation. As long as the tattoo is “prejudicial to good order and discipline” and no single tattoo covers more than 25% of a body part, then it is fine. This differs from other countries, such as South Korea, where people often get a tattoo so they can avoid national service.

Armed Forces tattoos can be a great way to commemorate time served in the military or visually display a current commitment he/she is undergoing. Either way, armed forces tattoos are symbolically rich ways to declare one’s allegiance to country and duty----something military personnel in this country have been doing for 250 years.

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