Tattoos and Military

The Dallas Morning News offered the following:

"Military tattoos have a long history, as the faded anchors on the arms
of many elderly retired sailors attest. British Army officers have been
tattooing martial insignia on their bodies since the 1800s, and
patriotic tattoos became popular among American troops during World War
II.
Service members are credited with pushing tattoos from outlaw status to
the mainstream youth fad that they are today. But many military leaders
frown on the practice, thinking tattoos look unprofessional.
The Army had banned tattoos visible on soldiers in uniform in 2002. But
in February, the rule was changed to permit some hand and neck tattoos
that aren't racist or offensive.
Each branch of the service has different rules limiting tattoos. For
instance, the Navy continues to ban visible tattoos for recruits and
active duty sailors on the face and neck, though it recently expanded
the percentage of the body that tattoos could cover." From:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...3e3086b.htm l


I wonder how the draft proposal by Congressman Charles Rangel will
impact on the military and each branch's tattoo policy. From The New
York Post:

Powerhouse Rep. Charles Rangel (D-Harlem) says he wants to bring back
the military draft to counter widening threats and keep politicians
from starting wars.

"I don't see how anyone can support the war and not support the draft,"
he said. "I think to do so is hypocritical."

Asked on CBS's "Face the Nation" whether he was serious about his
proposal, Rangel replied bluntly, "You bet your life. Underscore
'serious.' "

"If we're going to challenge Iran and challenge North Korea and then,
as some people have asked, send more troops to Iraq, we can't do that
without a draft," he said.

Rangel said if there had been a draft in 2003, the U.S. never would
have gone to war because politicians wouldn't want to put their own
sons and daughters in harm's way. See:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/11202006...ff_earl e.htm


Of course the idea of a draft preventing wars is idiotic, imo. Rangel
must be out of his mind if he believes that any politician's sons and
daughters would be "in harm's way." More likely they'd be serving their
military draft time at Pearl Harbor, Guam, or some other "safe" duty
station.

--
Curt
http://curtjames.com/