Tattoo & Piercing

tattoo

I think I am a little late to this thread, however, time your tattoo correctly. DS decided he must have his tattoo during a tri where he had a required water class. Instructor was not very happy and he missed a week while he healed. Sometimes for being so smart, they still do act their age.:cool:
 
Heard that the military does not like tattoos and requires all body markings be documented with pictures etc. Some tattoos are gang related and the military is trying to find out if someone has an affiliation with a gang. All this information ends up in your file. So, if you have any inclination to joining the military as an officer, I would advise against getting a tattoo or a body piercing. Just one more thing to have to explain down the road. Tattoos are also more common among enlisted vs. the officer corps thereby giving a less than professional message.
 
Are you kidding me? You seem quite immature to ask such a question: Will the academy frown on your newly acquired tattoos and piercings? The USMMA has rules and regulations and from the get go you wish to challenge the academy and have yet to set your foot onto campus. Respectfully I believe the USMMA should reconsider your appointment. Make room for someone else who is qualified and going to abide by the USMMA rules and regulations. Go get the tattoo and tongue piercing and let the academy decide.
This may not be "PC", but i couldn't agree with Duff more, maybe I'm bitter, DS wouldn't even sliegh ride over the winter not to chance getting hurt, a 4.0 AP student that in 12 years has never missed a day of school and is wait listed while others worry about tongue piercing -go figure
 
This may not be "PC", but i couldn't agree with Duff more, maybe I'm bitter, DS wouldn't even sliegh ride over the winter not to chance getting hurt, a 4.0 AP student that in 12 years has never missed a day of school and is wait listed while others worry about tongue piercing -go figure

Yet this candidate said that he was only thinking about a tongue piercing that would be out by the time they showed up. You seem very bitter about your DS's acceptance status but that does not mean you need to ridicule someone else about an honest question. I had my ears pierced when I was sixteen and took them out four months before I showed up to the academy. Nobody at the academy, including upperclassmen, had any problem that I had my ears pierced in the past. As far as the tattoo goes, if it is within Navy regulations(fully covered by the summer whites uniform and not gang related or innapropriate) then you should be fine. As I said before many Mids at the academy have tattoos and a freshman with one will not run into any problems as long as it is accepted by the academy.
 
One more vote with Duf.

Put aside the fact that any doctor will tell you the tongue piercing is a very bad idea due to the germs in your mouth and the risk of infections because of that, it will also leave upper classman thinking "what was the cadet thinking?"

The biggest joke on this forum after someone posts they got the BFE is:

Congrats, now wrap yourself up in bubble wrap.

It really isn't a joke. All you need is an infection that will cause medical attention and now you are risking that appointment because you are on anti-biotics.

I know it is the thing/rage with kids these days, but part of me believes anyone who does this is not a leader, only a follower. This lifestyle is for leaders.

This is what I have told my kids before you get a tattoo, look at your grandparents skin and imagine your tattoo there. Tattoos are forever, and trust me at 65 your skin doesn't look like an 18 yo. I have friends that had tats done when they were 18, and now they are in their 40's. They will tell you it is their biggest regret in their life. One friend had a simple small rose place on her upper chest. It was so cool at 18. Little did she realize that she would marry an AF officer and go to formal military functions. Gown shopping with her was a nightmare because she had to consider the neckline to hide the tat. Not because anyone would think less of her, but because she was now embarrassed over having one.

OBTW, I am sure if you want it you will throw this advice in the circular filing cabinet. Our DD did, (not military), but at least it was subtle and can be easily hidden (it is on the arch of her foot, and says "walking in his feet"....reference to her religious beliefs)

Finally, what struck me was this tat is a matching tat with his gf. I hope you two last forever, but you do know what they call cadets that graduate with the same mate they started with 4 yrs earlier? 2 %ers. Only 2% of the cadets that enter with a GF/BF graduate still dating that person. Getting a tat because you are in love with her right now, is unwise. At least wait until you marry her. Do you really want to live the rest of your life with her memory if you don't make it? Think about it, what if you don't make it, than find someone you marry, for the rest of her life she has the memory of your ex, are you willing to have it removed if it ends? Are you willing to get a tat for every gf you ever are in a committed relationship with?
 
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Ahhh yes the generation gap in action ...

I'm a parent and a graduate - I know you all probably get tired of hearing me say it but I feel a couple of additional comments are in order here.

1) In Helfire234's original post he asked a straightforward, original question. From the manner he asked it (e.g. "Again, all personal opinions on piercings and health risks aside") I suspect he expected a little "blow back" from some of us parents on the forum. He got a couple of short answers here that pointed out the health risk of the piercing and from his own follow-up I'd suspect he reconsidered that.

2) The simple fact as Madrid19 and others pointed out, they are pretty common these days at the USMMA and the regulations are pretty straightforward - they are the Navy regulations. Sure the other items many of us have pointed out e.g. the 2% club, that other services regulations might be different , etc. are valid and worth considering.

3) Attacking the young man and questioning his motives or commitment for even asking and/or for not "wrapping himself in bubble wrap" until he reports, just seem excessive to me. Also as has been pointed out recently on other threads here on this forum, USMMA is USMMA not USMA, USNA or other academies, and I can say this, if the tattoo is within current regulations and in good taste when he reports, I just can't see any of the DI's at Indoc looking twice at him the way things are these days at KP.

So while I'm glad my own DS hasn't yet opt'ed to get a tattoo and even happier that he says he's "not into that" - I don't think any less or think it's at all unusual that his best friend at KP has several as do a few other friends. It's just a lot more accepted and common today than when I was a Mid 30 years ago. Given the independent attitude and demeanor of USMMA Mids when they come back from their second sea year, I'm surprised more of the parents here don't have a more flexible attitude about these sorts of things like Sea Faring Moose Mom...
 
Apparently he was impressed with the place. He said he now understands what happens with our gas money. However, it doesn't sound like he went overboard with his purchases. Just some less-expensive souvenirs. I'm hoping for pictures at some point, although he warned me that he's rather unshaven in the photos.:wink:

Ironically, the luxury in Dubai is not directly from petroleum. Dubai is one of the few areas in the middle east not blessed with any oil.
 
Ironically, the luxury in Dubai is not directly from petroleum. Dubai is one of the few areas in the middle east not blessed with any oil.
I know - mostly it's finance. Still pretty unbelievable.
 
I don't see anything wrong with tatoos, my question is why risk your appointment? Really this shouldn't even be an issue. You have the rest of your lives to ink your body, and think, if you drew something on yourself when you were eight would you like it ten years later? Bottom line is there is nothing wrong with waiting. Once I graduate, I'm hoping to get, "Death before dishonor," somewhere, but there is no rush, and absolutely no reason to risk an appointment. Just my two cents.
 
One thing you need to consider when trying to decide about getting a tattoo is the attitude of the countries you may be visiting. This past weekend I and several friends were participating in a bicycle race in Japan; which was hosted by a local health spa. One of our friends has a tattoo on his chest, so unfortunately for him, he was not permitted to use the spa facilities, gym, or pool. When we looked into it further, we found the same rules apply for the using the beaches. So just remember, not every country has the same liberal views on tattoos that the United States has; and you may miss out on some pretty neat and fun things because of it.
 
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