Tattoos after DoDMERB physical exam

theophrastus94

5-Year Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2012
Messages
9
I had my DoDMERB physical today and currently have no tattoos. I have been thinking about getting a tattoo that would not be visible in PT gear and would not be related to race, religion, etc. Would that be allowed as long as I sent pictures to the Naval Academy? Or since I have already had my exam, would that be seen as a bad thing?
 
Why would u do that? I have nothing against tats, but being it permanent and you've gone 17+ years without one, why can't you wait? I won't say any more about it other than it makes absolutely no sense. It's not like u must get it now or it will no longer be available.
 
I'm going to agree with CC (Mike)...
(Gee...what's new with that?)

I advise my JROTC cadets almost daily on tat's...the BEST answer is: WAIT WAIT WAIT...there's no rush. If you want some design, you can get it AFTER you get "insert Academy/ROTC/Enlist here" what you want. THEN you can ask the expert on the scene to show you what is and is not acceptable.

There's no rush...

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
I got my first tattoo between sophomore and junior years. It was after DoDMERB. Its not visible in any military uniform and its not offensive. No one asked any questions or gave me any trouble about it. But I was in ROTC, maybe the academies are more picky about tats.
 
Not race, not religion...hmmm....Are you going traditional with a heart and an arrow and "Mom" engraved in the middle? If you really want to make a favorable impression why not go big and have the Constitution of the Unites States tattooed on your torso? Just make sure to leave room for amendments. But don't overcommit. If you have an anchor tattoo but later change your mind and go Army you may come in for some abuse.
 
Here's what you need to know about tattoos at the Naval Academy:

-DO NOT GET A TATTOO BEFORE GOING TO USNA IF YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN CLEARED BY DODMERB.
-DO NOT GET A TATTOO AT USNA.
-PROBABLY DON'T GET A TATTOO IMMEDIATELY AFTER GRADUATING.


...That about covers it. Sorry for yelling.
 
Thank you guys very much. You're all correct there is no reason I have to have it. I'll just wait until I know if I've even gotten into the USNA to decide if I will get the tattoo.
 
Although the tattoo will be noted on your DODMERB physical exam, I'm not sure that any "DQ" (from a non-admissible tattoo) that may result would be initiated by DODMERB, whether or not it was there when you took the physical or it appeared later.

Each military branch has their own policy for tattoos - location, size, content, etc, as well as the policy for enforcement of their regulations.

I'm pretty sure there is no "DODMERB standard" for tattoos or other body alterations (branding, piercing, etc) like there is for other medical conditions. (but not 100% sure)

The advice given by others was good regardless - get one after you get there if you are so inclined. Many do.
 
My $0.02, take it for what it is worth.

Kids want to get tats because it is the "In thing" to do. Besides, everyone's getting them, what is the big deal?

Well, here's the big deal. You want to go to an Academy. You want to earn a Commission. Ultimately, you want to serve your country as a LEADER. Leaders don't do something because it's "cool". Leaders don't follow the herd mentality. Leaders don't worry about "fitting in by showing your pride in something, permanently". Leaders worry about leading. THAT is the image you want the world to see, not your tat.

Ask yourself, when I finally get out and want that nice, well paid professional position, what do you think the guy / gal interviewing you is going to think about that tattoo? And please, none of those "well, it's hidden under my clothes" arguments. To me, that simply says "yeah, I'm not that comfortable showing this to the world, so I got one that I can cover it up easily." That just tells me you know it is slightly wrong, but you did it anyway.

The younger generation also likes to smoke a little weed once in a while. It's not that big a deal to society anymore. Everyone is doing it, even your friends. I mean, what's the harm, right? THAT is another test on whether you want to be a leader or a follower. And please, don't start going down that "well, one is illegal, and the other is not" path. We all know that unless you're growing your own, or carrying a hefty bag full of it, most law officials won't go out of their way to arrest you for it (unless you're involved in another illegal situation at the time, and in that case you have other thing to worry about). Thousands of folks smoke that stuff everyday, knowing their chances of getting in trouble with the law are practically nil. It's cracking under peer pressure that is the real test here, and leaders don't allow that to happen to themselves.

You want a tattoo? Wait until you've DONE something unique that you can be proud of for the rest of your life (participating in the Olympics may be an example). JOINING the military? Nothing special about that, thousands of kids get Academy appointments every year.

Tattoos have become pretty standard and standard for a lot in the military. Which to me smacks of "herd mentality" in the ranks. Pretty hard to be the leader when you're quick to run out and be a follower. Be a leader instead by your actions, not by the ink you got on your shoulder blade.
 
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My $0.02, take it for what it is worth.

Kids want to get tats because it is the "In thing" to do. Besides, everyone's getting them, what is the big deal?

Well, here's the big deal. You want to go to an Academy. You want to earn a Commission. Ultimately, you want to serve your country as a LEADER. Leaders don't do something because it's "cool". Leaders don't follow the herd mentality. Leaders don't worry about "fitting in by showing your pride in something, permanently". Leaders worry about leading. THAT is the image you want the world to see, not your tat.

Ask yourself, when I finally get out and want that nice, well paid professional position, what do you think the guy / gal interviewing you is going to think about that tattoo? And please, none of those "well, it's hidden under my clothes" arguments. To me, that simply says "yeah, I'm not that comfortable showing this to the world, so I got one that I can cover it up easily." That just tells me you know it is slightly wrong, but you did it anyway.

The younger generation also likes to smoke a little weed once in a while. It's not that big a deal to society anymore. Everyone is doing it, even your friends. I mean, what's the harm, right? THAT is another test on whether you want to be a leader or a follower. And please, don't start going down that "well, one is illegal, and the other is not" path. We all know that unless you're growing your own, or carrying a hefty bag full of it, most law officials won't go out of their way to arrest you for it (unless you're involved in another illegal situation at the time, and in that case you have other thing to worry about). Thousands of folks smoke that stuff everyday, knowing their chances of getting in trouble with the law are practically nil. It's cracking under peer pressure that is the real test here, and leaders don't allow that to happen to themselves.

You want a tattoo? Wait until you've DONE something unique that you can be proud of for the rest of your life (participating in the Olympics may be an example). JOINING the military? Nothing special about that, thousands of kids get Academy appointments every year.

Tattoos have become pretty standard and standard for a lot in the military. Which to me smacks of "herd mentality" in the ranks. Pretty hard to be the leader when you're quick to run out and be a follower. Be a leader instead by your actions, not by the ink you got on your shoulder blade.

Its not my intention to start an argument here or derail the thread from the OP's question, but I feel you are making some pretty broad generalizations about young people and tattoos.

I know a lot of people who've gotten them to "follow the herd" as you say. They usually ended up regretting it later. But I also know a lot of people who, like myself, got them for extremely personal reasons that they never intend to share with "the herd".

I don't believe you must "wait until you've DONE something unique" to get a tattoo. Sometimes, unique things (good or bad) simply HAPPEN to you in life. And everyone has their own way of remembering it. As long as its not against regs, I don't see anything wrong with it.

Again, i'm not trying to start an argument. I just hope you understand that not everyone goes out to get a tattoo to "fit in".

But back to the OP, it looks like Hurricane12 answered your question. If the Academy says no, don't do it.
 
Its not my intention to start an argument here or derail the thread from the OP's question, but I feel you are making some pretty broad generalizations about young people and tattoos.

I know a lot of people who've gotten them to "follow the herd" as you say. They usually ended up regretting it later. But I also know a lot of people who, like myself, got them for extremely personal reasons that they never intend to share with "the herd".

I don't believe you must "wait until you've DONE something unique" to get a tattoo. Sometimes, unique things (good or bad) simply HAPPEN to you in life. And everyone has their own way of remembering it. As long as its not against regs, I don't see anything wrong with it.

Again, i'm not trying to start an argument. I just hope you understand that not everyone goes out to get a tattoo to "fit in".

But back to the OP, it looks like Hurricane12 answered your question. If the Academy says no, don't do it.

I'm just curious. At 17-18 years old; senior in high school; what significant life event is so important that could have happened to you at that age, to need to get a tattoo prior to entering the military, and "risking" the chance of there being a problem or an issue and jeopardizing everything?

Now; if you tell me that you're getting a tattoo of a loved one who just passed away; I'll buy that. But nothing else really fits the bill other than simple: "I WANT one". There's nothing so significant at 17-18 that you'd want a tattoo of for the rest of your life. Let alone risk that it may or may not conflict with you "LIFE GOAL" of getting into the academy. And if it's simply: "I WANT one"; then it definitely can wait until after you get into the military and can know FIRST HAND the policies and attitude towards it. You've waited 17-18 years, you can wait a little while longer. Yes; maybe if you were the 17 year old colorado swimmer who's going to be a senior who won multiple gold medals at the olympics; that too would be cause. But I doubt, based on the OP's opening post, that something significant happened to him. He simply said he's been thinking about it.

And bullet isn't wrong. If No One had tattoos, then it's unlikely that another person would just want one. Most times, things such as tattoos are generally in response to others socially. Again; nothing wrong with tattoos. But when you're 17-18 years old; and the tattoo is permanent; and you'll probably be alive for another 70+ years; and you're trying to get into the academies; just wait. There's absolutely no reason; except like Bullet said and you had some life altering event that you want to remember; to make a person "NEED" to get a tattoo in this situation. While we're at it; don't forget if you happen to receive an appointment, to get with your buddies after graduation and do all those great things you always dreamed of before going off to the academy/college, like skydiving, hang gliding, bull riding, etc...
 
Not every tattoo has to be to commemorate some significant event or illustrate a life goal.

People can invest in art in any way they choose - Not everyone can afford a Picasso or Rockwell painting to hang on their wall.

If it's not against illegal, not against the regulations, and not on YOUR body, why does anyone care what someone else does to their own body?

PS - if you've ever seen any large gathering from the brigade of midshipmen or corps of cadets, from any of the academies in swimwear, you would be amazed at how many "followers" :rolleyes: there are.
 
And I'll stop any argument right here. Those who found nothing wrong with a tattoo are entitled to their opinions that there is nothing wrong getting one, just as much as I am entitled to mine. Some get a tattoo to honor a fallen loved one or comrade, and I get that (doesn't mean I agree with it, and can think of better ways (IMO) to honor them).

And yes, Luigi, I am amazed at how many followers of fashion and fad there are in the cadet / midshipman ranks at the Academies today....
 
DS showed me the picture of the tattoo he wanted.

Cool, I said, and then I asked him how that would look on his father? how about on his grandfather? we never talked about it again.:thumb:
 
First, agree with Hurricane 100%!

Second, the thing with tattoos is that they're pretty much permanent. When I was in the military, one of my officer colleagues was prior enlisted. While enlisted, he got a tattoo on his forearm. Once he became a somewhat senior officer (O-4/LCDR), he regretted it. And decided to get rid of it.

The way the doctors did it was to cut his skin and fold it in. Once it healed, they cut it again. And again. It was a long and painful process. He wrote a great article for Navy Times about why getting tattoos was, in his view, not smart.

Now, in fairness, this was >20 years ago when the view of tattoos was different than it is today. That said (and I KNOW I'm going to sound like an old fogey here), what seems really important and desirable today at age 17 may not seem like such a great thing when you're 27 or 37 or 47. And unlike purple hair or a mustache or many other things, a tattoo is something that you'll probably be stuck with the rest of your life or will spend a lot of time, money and/or pain to get rid of.

Trust me, if it's THAT important to get the tattoo, you'll still feel that way in 10 years or 20 years and can get always get it then -- and still have another 50-70 years to wear it proudly.
 
Vista,

I have said the same thing...look at your grandparents body and where you plan on placing that tat. One day your body (skin) will look the same. That image usually gives them a wake up call.

However, it didn't stop our DD. She has a tat "Take a step of Faith" on the instep of her foot. Funny thing is she has had for @15 months now, and at our DS's commissioning party it became the talk because her aunts, uncles, and one set of grandparents never knew she had it. Realize all of them have stayed at our home overnight multiple times for multiple days, saw her walk barefoot around the house and never realized it was there until 1 aunt said OMG you have a tat at the party! Had that not happened, I am betting she could have lived her entire life without them ever seeing it.:shake:

I am not opposed to tats, I am opposed as others are to getting one just for the sake of getting one and not understanding this is a lifetime commitment.

Xposted with USNA
 
Luigi, u r correct. It doesnt have to be for something significant. It can simply be.art.and to express oneself. That was my point. If it was something significant like the 17 year old at the olympics or the honor a passing relative, I could see doing it now. If its simply to express oneself with art, then its something that can and should wait until you get into the academy/military so you can get the truth about policy, acceptance, etc. That was my point. At 17 years old, its probably not for a significant life event, but rather just.to.express oneself with art. In that case, it can and should wait.
 
I know we all have our own opinions of tattoos in general, and most of us have already expressed those here.

But the OP asked a specific question regarding USNA and tattoos. And I think Hurricane12 answered it pretty definitively. I'll never recommend anyone disobey Academy regs.

OP didnt ask us for parental advice regarding life decisions. He may end up getting it at some point and then regretting it later on. Maybe he won't. But we're all strangers on an internet forum here. We don't know his/her motivation for wanting a tattoo and frankly I don't believe its any of our business.
 
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