Is the USMC’s tattoo policy keeping Marine combat vets from re-enlisting?

Some Marine Corps veterans say their tattoos ended their careers when, during the past few years, they returned from combat and stopped deploying, and when the Corps started taking more of an interest in their ink.

According to the Marine Corps Times, the Corps started to more strictly enforce its tattoo policy a few years ago, at the same time it was shrinking its fighting force to 182,000 Marines.

Beginning in 2014, Marines up for re-enlistment had to submit photos of their tattoos to ensure they were within the regulations.

And in June 2016, the Corps rolled out a revised tattoo policy that allowed more ink in some spots and offered clarity about what is allowable.

“Marines can have an unlimited number of tattoos that are covered by the properly fitting standard physical training uniform: green t-shirt and green shorts,” according to a Corps statement issued June 2, 2016. “Marines are prohibited from getting tattoos on the head, neck, inside the mouth, wrists, knees, elbows and hands with the exception of a single band tattoo of no more than three-eighths of an inch in width on one finger.”

Still, Marine combat veterans such as Brian Davenport told the newspaper that the Corps’ policy effectively ended their careers.

Davenport, who deployed to Afghanistan in 2012, visited an Army recruiter when he learned his ink would prevent him from re-enlisting in the Corps. The Army’s tattoo standards are not as strict.

Another Marine veteran, who spoke with the Marine Corps Times on the condition of anonymity, said he’s been trying to get back into the Corps for five years, even though he has sleeve tattoos that run the length of his arms.

And, according to the newspaper, there are examples such as Sgt. Daniel Knapp — an infantryman who’d twice been meritoriously promoted — who in 2015 was not allowed to re-enlist even though his command had endorsed a policy waiver.

The Marine Corps gave the newspaper data that showed more than 14,000 re-enlistment packages were submitted between June 2015 and June 2016. During that time, 33 were denied because of non-compliance with the tattoo policy.

This story was originally published August 30, 2017 at 6:48 AM with the headline "Is the USMC’s tattoo policy keeping Marine combat vets from re-enlisting?."