| The Coast Guard’s disappearing colors
By PA1 Anastasia M. Burns, PADET Miami Beach MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - Beautiful red dragons swirl their way across the palate, curling their way up the pale column past bold, black, five-point stars. Their scales are shaded in such a way that they seem to shine, and the big red and gold dragonhead eyes the bicep of its owner with a hungry glare.
The intricately drawn design will never be complete. The tattoo exceeds the new Coast Guard regulations on tattoos, enacted June 24. The petty officer who designed the tattoo (who wishes to remain anonymous) said the sketch started as a doodle, but became so important to him that he planned to get it tattooed as soon as he raised the more than $500 necessary to pay for the ink. He said he was disappointed about the new regulations, but he understood the reasoning behind it.
The Policy
The new policy set last month applies to new recruits, officers and enlisted, and anyone considering adding to their body-art collection. The rules are relatively simple. Any tattoos that are racist, indecent, extremist, or lawless are no-gos. If the tattoo can be seen while wearing the service dress blue uniform, it’s out of regs and unauthorized. Any current service member with a tattoo in these areas will be grandfathered into the regulations, although their tattoos will be documented, and they are not allowed to get more art done in those areas.
In the case of the forearm (between the wrist bone and the elbow) and the lower leg (between the knee and the ankle bone), only 25 percent may be covered. The percentage of coverage is judged by approximation. As noted before, current servicemembers with tattoos exceeding that allowed by the new regulation will be grandfathered in, but their tattoos will be documented, and they may not get more ink in those areas.
No visible piercings are allowed, save for the ear lobes, which may have two holes each. Branding, while less common, is also regulated. Members may not have visible brands on any part of the body not covered by the SDB uniform. They may have one four-inch diameter-or-smaller brand on each forearm only.
A History
Tattooing has existed for thousands of years BC, and its purpose has varied from culture to culture throughout history. The word tattoo comes from the Tahitian word tatu, meaning, “to mark something.” Over the centuries, the meaning of tattoos has changed from denoting skills, punishments, rank, membership, decoration and achievement. Some tattoos depicted areas of travel, and one could tell where a person had been by their tattoos.
Sailors were intrigued by the tattooed peoples they met on their voyages, and began to experiment in the early 19th century. Many sailors received tattoos of symbols inspired by the spirit of the times such as: anchors, eagles, ladies, lions and the crucifix. These symbols represented religious, patriotic and nautical themes.
During the world wars, the most popular tattoo was known as the "pledge" tattoo, which consisted of a veteran’s unit, military division and an American eagle. These tattoos represented the dedication of the soldiers. Piercing also has history dating back thousands of years BC. The piercings, like tattoos, represented wealth, membership or a higher social standing in society.
Some sailors believed that by piercing their right ear, their sight would improve. Other legends say that sailors wore a gold earring to pay for their burial if their body was found at sea. As disease spread in the early 1900s, tattooing lost its popularity and acceptance in society, and became taboo. Over the last 40 years, both tattooing and piercing have made a comeback and are considered an art form to some.
In the Workplace
Opinions have been mixed on the subject of what some view as personal expression. Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher Larosa, a 25-year-old engineer at Station Mayport, Fla., enlisted in the Coast Guard already sporting his tattoos.
“I planned on getting more, but now that they came up with the new policy, I have to rethink some things,” said Larosa. He also said he understood the reason for the policy. “People as a whole in the Coast Guard need to look professional.”
Larosa said that the purpose of getting larger tattoos is to be able to see the details, which may not be noticeable once the tattoo was shrunk to regulation size, but he conceded that the policy is appropriate.
Tattoos on the Civilian Side
According to a survey of 500 employees done by the career information website www.vault.com:
The arm (40 percent), leg (31 percent) and back (36 percent) are the most popular places to get tattoos, and the hand (2.2 percent) and neck (5.9 percent) are the least popular.
Only 9 percent of employees have ever been fired or disciplined for their tattoos.
Master Chief Roger “Buck” Ward, command master chief of Sector Miami, displayed a gnarled eagle and flag on one arm, and a mechanical gear and a propeller encircled by the phrase, “Takin Care of Business” – his personal logo – on the other. His tattoos covered more than the allowed 25 percent, but according to him, “that’s just ‘cause my arms are small!” Ward joked about his drawings, which he said have been a sea service standard for the last 40 years he’s been in the Coast Guard. He talked about the downside to those same tattoos.
“We’re graded, marked, by our appearance," said Ward. "It reflects negatively when the tattoos are in visible places. Freedom of expression is a good thing, but you’re also representing the Coast Guard. It’s a personal expression, but things have been taken to extremes, and people have abused the informal tattooing policy. Things that are abused need to be regulated.” Ward explained the points he tries to communicate to those asking him for advice on their next tattoos. “You have no idea what you’re going to do in life," he said. "You may be in a place where that tattoo keeps you from getting that important position you want later in life. You don’t know.”
Bottom Line
The daggers dripping blood, cartoon characters, vicious panthers, topless mermaids, skulls, stars, logos and oaths tattooed across the skin of the military members may give them the feeling of being an individual and the freedom of personal expression, but in a service where everyone dresses from the same sea bag, that personal expression may be viewed as a sore thumb. “I personally judge people on their character and grit, but as a master chief, I have to look to the Commandant Instruction," said Ward summing up his feeling on the issue, “…as for the policy, Commandant made it. I don’t need to know anymore.” -uscg- |
His art covers one shoulder blade and cuffs his upper left arm. Both are within regulations, but those same regulations prevent him from adding to his “sleeve” – a full arm or leg of tattoos so close together they resemble a shirtsleeve.
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