Most notably, the US Navy has a more relaxed approach regarding size and placement of tattoos on the arms and legs. In fact, thanks to recent changes, sailors with full sleeve ink are now eligible for placement at Recruiting Training Command and Recruitment Command positions.

The Navy also now permits sailors one neck tattoo, as long as it doesn’t exceed one inch in diameter, and hand tattoos remain on the table. Given the historical significance of tattoos in the navy this relaxed stance isn’t surprising. 

Conversely, the US Marine Corps is more strict than Army policy. Marines are only allowed four visible tattoos outside of their physical training uniform of crew neck t-shirt and shorts, none of which can exceed the size of the palm of the hand. Tattoos on the back and torso that are obscured by this uniform are unrestricted regarding size, placement and number.  

All branches of the United States Armed Forces follow the same guidelines prohibiting racist, sexist, extremist and offensive designs.  

Popular and acceptable military tattoos 

With a better understanding of what is and is not acceptable under the current Army tattoo policy, we can now look at more popular styles and trends in military tattoo design.  

Many of the brave men and women that serve in our nation’s armed forces choose designs highlighting their patriotism such as American flags and bald eagles. Other popular designs are more specific to a soldier’s service and many choose to get dog tags or the insignia of their military branch inked on their bodies. Some soldiers even get different missions and operations that they participated in commemorated with tattoos.  

The weapons of war are definitive elements in every soldier’s life. These tools of the trade are also often incorporated into military tattoos.