Soldier trying to Sue over Tattoo policy

[Jon B.]

Anyone else seen this garbage? Apparently it's keeping him from becoming a WO and then going on to 160th. Since both of those are sure things.

 

http://www.newsmax.com/US/guardsman-tattoos-army-lawsuit/2014/05/02/id/569076/

 

If he was in by this board he would have been good. Shouldn't have drug his feet.

[tnel00son]

Should be interesting to see how this plays out.

[apacheguy]

I think we should sue so that everyone has to use the same PT standards. With the hair braids and now this tattoo guy, tis the season...

[skyreaper]

I think we should sue so that everyone has to use the same PT standards. With the hair braids and now this tattoo guy, tis the season...

Ding ding ding.

[Velocity173]

I think the Army is trying to fight a losing battle against a change in culture that is becoming more and more popular. Personally don't care for tattoos but I can see in the past 20-30 yrs they've become more the norm than the exception. Just look at the NFL.

[brackac]

I think the Army is trying to fight a losing battle against a change in culture that is becoming more and more popular. Personally don't care for tattoos but I can see in the past 20-30 yrs they've become more the norm than the exception. Just look at the NFL.

 

 

Tattoo's and the military have been synonymous since WWII.

[smalltownguy]

 

 

Tattoo's and the military have been synonymous since WWII.

 

Yeah but WWII was all about pride and unit tattoos instead of my generations obsession with giant meaningless tribal war paint "sleeves" and some asian language that simply says "water". I wonder if when you go to China or Japan you see people walking around with the word water or air written in English haha.

 

P.S. I have no issues with tattoos, to each their own (even the tribal sleeves).

[Creep0321]

I think it will turn out similiar to the Marine Corps (who addopted an almost identical policy in 2007). Some units will enforce it, some will not. Where it will come into play the most is high visibility jobs, in the Marine Corps a few examples are Drill Instructor, Recruiter, and Marine Security Guard(embassy security), as well as to new recruits/officer candidates. But that is simply my opinion/experiece. I am just glad I did not get the sleeve I was planning after my last deployment, since my package will not be ready anytime soon.

[Astro]

Tattoos lost their "coolness" years ago. So many people have them now that its nothing more than a trendie fad. That's why I decided back in college not to get one. In the dorm I found myself surrounded by tramp stamps, ankle butterflies, barbed wire, and sleeves! And talk about overkill! When I was in high school I had to read a book about a guy tattooed head to toe, now all I have to do is go to McDonalds to see someone fully covered.

 

You want to be rebelious, or set yourself apart from the herd nowadays, don't get a tattoo!

[ospreydriver]

Good luck on him getting into Task Force after this debacle. Does TF160 even take NG types?

[aeroscout]

Tattoos lost their "coolness" years ago. So many people have them now that its nothing more than a trendie fad. That's why I decided back in college not to get one. In the dorm I found myself surrounded by tramp stamps, ankle butterflies, barbed wire, and sleeves! And talk about overkill! When I was in high school I had to read a book about a guy tattooed head to toe, now all I have to do is go to McDonalds to see someone fully covered.

 

You want to be rebelious, or set yourself apart from the herd nowadays, don't get a tattoo!

"The Illustrated Man" -Ray Bradbury-

 

Great sci fi novel.

Most of what Bradbury wrote was fantastic and classic. One of the world's greatest writers.

[electron_si]

Good luck on him getting into Task Force after this debacle. Does TF160 even take NG types?

 

Yes the 160th assesses NG in addition to AD pilots, some get picked up, some don't.

[Jon B.]

I just see it as a BS argument anyway. What makes him so certain that he would be selected to WOCS in the first place, and then to get selected after assessing for 160th?

 

Are people going to sue for their moral waivers getting rejected? What about other disqualifying situations? Life sucks sometimes, I get it, but this is solely based upon his decision to get a tattoo knowing full well they were going to look at the policy at some point.

 

SGM Chandler has had stuff in the works since he was appointed. It's not a huge surprise.

[Joe_P148]

I get that this dude is not trying to give up on his crusade to become an pilot and a Nightstalker. But if he thinks making a high profile statement of it is going to increase his chances, I believe, he's in for a rude awakening. Wouldn't it have been better to just have the tatoos removed and put in a packet?!

 

I always wanted to be an astronaut but I'm too stupid. Mabye I should sue NASA.

[WaterRooster]

The tattoo policy is a joke to begin with. While suing is not the correct course of action, tattoos do NOT make you less of a leader or a potential leader. Tattoos and the military have gone hand in hand for a long time and what someone has inked on them does not make them less of a person. If the Marines want to set that standard, fine. We are not the Marines. The problem is we have a CSM, who wants the Army to be like the Marines. There are a lot of things he has tried to do that has been turned down, this one just happens to have passed. If the kid can lead, let him lead. At least give him the chance

 

 

Edit - Never talk while writing... Sometimes they overlap!

Edited May 7, 2014 by WaterRooster

[SBuzzkill]

Who was a Marine?

[Velocity173]

The tattoo policy is a joke to begin with. While suing is not the correct course of action, tattoos do NOT make you less of a leader or a potential leader. Tattoos and the military have gone hand in hand for a long time and what someone has inked on them does not make them less of a person. If the Marines want to set that standard, fine. We are not the Marines. The problem is we have a CSM, who wants the Army to be like the Marines. There are a lot of things he has tried to do that has been turned down, this one just happens to have passed. If the kid can lead, let him lead. At least give him the chance

 

 

Edit - Never talk while writing... Sometimes they overlap!

Not saying I disagree with you but do you believe that there should be no restraint when it comes to tattoos or appearance in general? Say, tattoos with profanity, tribal paint that's on the hands or face? How about piercings? Men with earrings or nose rings in uniform? How about a Mohawk or purple hair?

 

All of these things have nothing to do with how well someone performs their job but is it necessary to have some sort of standard on acceptable appearance?

Edited May 8, 2014 by Velocity173

[michael.scheller]

"You've got a soldier who is about as gung ho as you get ... then you've got this regulation you read about on Facebook and you don't have a career," said Robin May, a Kentucky-based attorney who represents Thorogood. "That would be a blow."

I got news for you Thorogood, you might not like the new tattoo policy, but you didn't learn from history. This is NOT the first time the Army has had restrictions on tattoos and anyone aspirations to become a Warrant Officer, a brain, and respect for their pocketbook would have looked into the history of this. My personal opinion, which I offered up to every young Soldier with whom I served was that NOBODY will ever hold your LACK of tattoos and piercings against you but you just might run into the opposite opinion.

 

Nothing against guys or gals with tattoos. I'm just pragmatic and cheap. I don't spend that much money on stuff I can't ride or drink.

[StockTrader]

One simple rule has saved me. I pass it on to anyone thinking about getting a tattoo. Make sure it can be covered with a normal t-shirt. Its in peoples DNA to judge. Everthing you do can have consequences at some point. He's learning that the hard way now.

 

One a lighter note the doc that did my flight physical had a pretty good sense of humor. When he walked in, in a nice sarcastic tone he goes "See this pen. This pen has a description of every tattoo you have on your body inside of it. Unfortunately, it will only work if you use it. So here ya go".