Tattoo in ROTC
- Thread starter cadet0063
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Perfect link, gojack! I think that pretty much sums it up!
I know I'm old fashioned, but I just don't get this tat yourself from head to toe trend. I mean, how many of us wear the same hair and clothing styles we did 20 years ago?
There's going to be some major regret by many young folks down the road. Pima's right, the tattoo removal business will be huge in a few years.
I know I'm old fashioned, but I just don't get this tat yourself from head to toe trend. I mean, how many of us wear the same hair and clothing styles we did 20 years ago?
There's going to be some major regret by many young folks down the road. Pima's right, the tattoo removal business will be huge in a few years.
futuremarinemom
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Maybe you could enlighten us old geezers. Call me out of touch, but I, for one, just don't get it.
Bullet
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You'll have to please excuse my laughter as I read this and distinctly recall when I was your age and used the same "You old folks don't get it, Man!" rebuttal when my parents made fun of some of my personal image choices.
Yeah, I wore a Member's Only jacket back in the day. Doesn't mean I continue to wear it everyday since then.
I do get it. You want a tat that shows your pride in something. It means a lot to you, and it's not just a "fad". Well, before you can honestly say it isn't a fad, we need to see what people think about this in about 20 years or so. I hope those tats you get today are as important to you in 20 years as they are now. Maybe they will be. Or perhaps, you just might say to yourself when your 45: "what WAS I thinking!"
pathnottaken
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+1 Or you can just try to hide it with another tattoo:
TLC's America's Worst Tattoos will highlight the unfortunate tattoo's back story, the process of covering it up (putting another tat on top of the bad tat)
You'll have to please excuse my laughter as I read this and distinctly recall when I was your age and used the same "You old folks don't get it, Man!" rebuttal when my parents made fun of some of my personal image choices.
Yeah, I wore a Member's Only jacket back in the day. Doesn't mean I continue to wear it everyday since then.
I do get it. You want a tat that shows your pride in something. It means a lot to you, and it's not just a "fad". Well, before you can honestly say it isn't a fad, we need to see what people think about this in about 20 years or so. I hope those tats you get today are as important to you in 20 years as they are now. Maybe they will be. Or perhaps, you just might say to yourself when your 45: "what WAS I thinking!"
A fad is something that is extremely popular in society for a time, and then dies out. Tattoo's have been around forever, and will continue to exist for the foreseeable future. I for one would never consider getting a tattoo, but it doesn't mean we need to muck up the thread with references to bell bottoms and the like. Those are great examples of fads. Tattoos? Not so much.
Pima
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I would consider a fad just like jeans...when I was 13 we wore jeans that were called hip huggers. 30 yrs later they came back with a fury, but now they are called low riders. OBTW same with maxi dresses, mini-skirts, wedges, etc.
I would think under your premise these things would not be considered fads because afterall they have been around forever, at least 35 yrs. However, under my premise they are fads because they will diminish in popularity again in the future.
Our generation tats were a rarity. I know of 1 friend my age that has a tat. 1 and that is over the course of my life. No siblings, cousins, etc my age have a tat....talking family size wise, @50 people, include my friends and it is in the hundreds. That 1 friend hides her tat. She also went ballistic when her eldest got a tat. Her DD is 28 now and regrets that she got her stamp when she was 18. As a mother now with a DD, she is adamant her DD will never get a tat. That regret can occur very quickly.
I think the reason why you don't see it among my generation is because many of parents had tats and remember looking at how ugly it looked on them decades later. I am willing to bet your kids will be like my generation when they get to the age of tattooing. They will see their 50 yr old parents 30 yr old tat. They will also see how their folks try to hide the tat now.
Thus, it is a fad IMPO. It comes and goes in cycles. If you agree that comes and goes in cycles than you just proved the point it is a fad.
I would think under your premise these things would not be considered fads because afterall they have been around forever, at least 35 yrs. However, under my premise they are fads because they will diminish in popularity again in the future.
Our generation tats were a rarity. I know of 1 friend my age that has a tat. 1 and that is over the course of my life. No siblings, cousins, etc my age have a tat....talking family size wise, @50 people, include my friends and it is in the hundreds. That 1 friend hides her tat. She also went ballistic when her eldest got a tat. Her DD is 28 now and regrets that she got her stamp when she was 18. As a mother now with a DD, she is adamant her DD will never get a tat. That regret can occur very quickly.
I think the reason why you don't see it among my generation is because many of parents had tats and remember looking at how ugly it looked on them decades later. I am willing to bet your kids will be like my generation when they get to the age of tattooing. They will see their 50 yr old parents 30 yr old tat. They will also see how their folks try to hide the tat now.
Thus, it is a fad IMPO. It comes and goes in cycles. If you agree that comes and goes in cycles than you just proved the point it is a fad.
pathnottaken
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son just got a letter from VMI telling him that his physical qualifications are approved. Then the big HOWEVER (that is pertinent to this thread) follows:
"that should you, prior or subsequent to matriculation at VMI, develop a condition of any sort which prevents your full participation in required cadet activities, both academic and physical, your separation from VMI could result."
I am sure ROTC may have similar statements. So if you are going to get a tat, make sure you go someplace that has the most strigent cleaniness and safety procedures in place. Last thing you want is not being able participate fully in the ROTC training due to nasty infection from your tat.
When our daughters turned 18 and wanted to get belly botton rings, we told them we can't stop you, but we will pay the difference if you go to a good place and not the MALL!
"that should you, prior or subsequent to matriculation at VMI, develop a condition of any sort which prevents your full participation in required cadet activities, both academic and physical, your separation from VMI could result."
I am sure ROTC may have similar statements. So if you are going to get a tat, make sure you go someplace that has the most strigent cleaniness and safety procedures in place. Last thing you want is not being able participate fully in the ROTC training due to nasty infection from your tat.
When our daughters turned 18 and wanted to get belly botton rings, we told them we can't stop you, but we will pay the difference if you go to a good place and not the MALL!
I personally have a tattoo that needed to be checked by the CoC. I'm in AFROTC, so tattoos are a little taboo. My tattoo is definitely covered in uniform, and most of the cadets within my wing don't even know I have one.
If you ARE going to get a tattoo make sure that you get it in an area that you will be able to cover up in uniform. Make sure that it isn't offensive to anyone.
Tattoos are self-expression. If you really want it, think about it for a few months.. and then ask yourself again.
ALL branches just don't want VISIBLE tattoos showing. So as long as you are able to cover it up.. and it isn't profane or offensive, you should be okay.
If you ARE going to get a tattoo make sure that you get it in an area that you will be able to cover up in uniform. Make sure that it isn't offensive to anyone.
Tattoos are self-expression. If you really want it, think about it for a few months.. and then ask yourself again.
ALL branches just don't want VISIBLE tattoos showing. So as long as you are able to cover it up.. and it isn't profane or offensive, you should be okay.
keep in mind that the officers who will determine your promotions will generally be much older than you, and of the generation where a tatoo didn't mean innocent self expression or the honoring of an ideal ... it meant rebellion, lawlessness, and disregard for authority. It doesn't mean that now, but that won't matter when the superior officers who know you, and will need to support your promotion, still think that's what a tatoo signifies, and know that you have a huge tatoo of a (fill in the blank: dragon, sword/knife, naked lady, lion/tiger, etc. across your chest or back.
On the other hand, I don't think anyone would care about the word Mom inside a heart.
On the other hand, I don't think anyone would care about the word Mom inside a heart.
pathnottaken
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Not so fast with that mom is ok:
TALLAHASSEE - With a few key strokes, Ed Ricord can name the most popular tattoo in the Florida prison system, how many prisoners have "Mom" tattoos and how many have tattoos on their buttocks.
He can even tell you how many have "Mom" tattooed on their buttocks.
The information is part of a database Ricord compiled for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement of the 372,644 tattoos on current and former state prisoners.
Combined with other information in the database, such as height, hair color, eye color and age, law enforcement can easily search for possible suspects spotted with distinctive tattoos.
Police love it so much that Ricord was honored Tuesday with the Davis Productivity Award, given to state employees showing exceptional innovation.
But the database is so new - it's been up and running for a few months - that FDLE officials could not say whether any arrests had been made because of it.
Ricord, 53, created the database after fielding numerous inquiries about tattoos on criminal suspects.
"This was a cheap way of not spending any money and making something useful for investigators," Ricord said.
Ricord said the tattoos come in all shapes and sizes and appear in places that might make you squirm.
For the record, the most popular tattoo among Florida prisoners is the cross. "Mom" tattoos are favored by 543 current and former prisoners. And 812 have tattoos on their buttocks.
But only one has "Mom" tattooed on his butt, a guy from Tampa.
Of course this assumes the young officer is sitting in front of a review board with his or her shirt off. The only place a tattoo is noted is on the medical report which I assume most just check the bottom line to see if the officer is still medically qualified.
If these older officers are going to look negatively at tattoos then I would think that would start at the Academy and ROTC level. The top 3 cadets in my son's graduating class all had tattoos, didn't seem to hurt their standing a bit. One had a very large tattoo on their back, that one I thought was a bit much, still, didn't seem to hurt his standing.
My son is an AROTC rising senior/MS4. He just lost his best friend to a horrible accident and is devastated as we all are. He wants to get a tattoo as a tribute to his friend. As much as I personally dislike tattos for all the above mentioned reasons, I'm finding it hard to advise against this.
FWIW, I have a neighbor/acquaintance who happens to be a judge, his only son, a local star athlete went off too college on a football scholarship...
His DS lost his scholarship & girlfriend, came home Christmas break and hung himself in his bedroom, I think it was 3 yrs ago.
Dad had a little tribute tattooed on his forearm (HS jersey number), it has led to some very poorly timed and awkward questions - and understandably highly emotional answers.
His DS lost his scholarship & girlfriend, came home Christmas break and hung himself in his bedroom, I think it was 3 yrs ago.
Dad had a little tribute tattooed on his forearm (HS jersey number), it has led to some very poorly timed and awkward questions - and understandably highly emotional answers.
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-Bull-
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Tats are becoming more and more common. Almost all of my cadre have them (including the PMS) as well as probably 1/3 of cadets. Just make sure it's not a spur of the moment thing. I've got a tat (about hand size) and I came up with a design and thought about where I wanted it and then let the idea sit for over an entire year before I decided I wanted to have the work done. Granted, a year is not a lifetime, but sitting on the idea for a long time can ensure its something you really want, not just a Friday night idea.
Other than that, if it follows the rules and it's something you want, go for it. It's your body. I will say that if you go out and get some super hooah army tats as a cadet, you will probably be laughed at.
Other than that, if it follows the rules and it's something you want, go for it. It's your body. I will say that if you go out and get some super hooah army tats as a cadet, you will probably be laughed at.
Moosestache
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If you are 19 it is almost always a spur of the moment thing, relatively speaking.
I think tattoos were relatively popular with servicemen in ww2, fell out of favor for a while, became anti establishment in the 60's and 70's, fell out of favor again in the 80's and 90's and started making a come back in the 2000's.
Always more popular with the enlisted guys, less so with officers.
I don't have a problem with them per say, but I know guys who end up spending lots of money getting x's names removed, for some reason the next wife doesn't really like seeing the first's name. Another guy thought it would be romantic to have his wedding band tattooed on his finger, now that he is divorced it is a stretch to figure out how to make it something cool again.
Always figured it was kind of like smoking. You are young, want to do something cool, something your parents tell you not to, or something all the kids are doing. They you wake up one day ten years later and realize you can't stop, and are stuck with it for the rest of your life.
I think tattoos were relatively popular with servicemen in ww2, fell out of favor for a while, became anti establishment in the 60's and 70's, fell out of favor again in the 80's and 90's and started making a come back in the 2000's.
Always more popular with the enlisted guys, less so with officers.
I don't have a problem with them per say, but I know guys who end up spending lots of money getting x's names removed, for some reason the next wife doesn't really like seeing the first's name. Another guy thought it would be romantic to have his wedding band tattooed on his finger, now that he is divorced it is a stretch to figure out how to make it something cool again.
Always figured it was kind of like smoking. You are young, want to do something cool, something your parents tell you not to, or something all the kids are doing. They you wake up one day ten years later and realize you can't stop, and are stuck with it for the rest of your life.