Over the decades of military service, soldiers have gotten tattoos to symbolize their experiences – whether that means representing Hawaii with a hula girl, Asia with dragons, Cape Horn with a ship-shaped image, and more.
The Army’s Revised Tattoo Policy
The Army recently revised its tattoo policy, permitting visible tattoos on hands, ears, and neck. One ring tattoo per hand and unlimited in-between finger tattoos are allowed if they remain hidden when hands are closed.
Emblems and Symbols
Infantry tattoos often include emblems and symbols representing their service in larger army designs or smaller tattoos on specific body parts. Some characters can be seen across different branches of military service, such as in the American, British, and Canadian, each representing their commitment to serving their respective nations.
One emblem recognized by Marines is their “crash, fire, and rescue” emblem, featuring three Maltese crosses with words inked onto each point. These can often be combined with other images or words to form personalized army tattoos. The Malta cross of the Sovereign Order of Malta, known for being associated with camouflage patterns, is an appealing symbol found throughout military service branches and used by medics.
Flags
Flag tattoos are an iconic design choice for infantry officers. American flags and the iconic battle flag from World War I, with its stripes of stars and red poppies associated with its veterans, are popular choices. These tattoos may serve as reminders of military service or commemorate those operated with, remember those lost, and show patriotism.
While Confederate battle flag tattoos may be viewed as offensive, they are currently allowed in any of the military services. Before getting one, one must be familiar with each service’s policies regarding body art. For instance, Marine Corps policy prohibits anything seen as discriminatory, racist, sexist, or offensive.
Dog Tags
Dog tags are military tattoos featuring the personal information of soldiers. They are commonly worn as memorials to loved ones who have passed and represent patriotism and allegiance to one’s country. Infantry soldiers still use dog tags today to identify casualties killed in combat. The US Army is developing new dog tags with medical and dental records for soldiers. Military personnel typically receive two dog tags to wear on short chains looped around each other.
Death Before Dishonor
Are you searching for a tattoo that showcases patriotism and honor? A Death Before Dishonor tattoo could be just the solution! With roots dating back to Rome, Death Before Dishonor has become one of the most iconic symbols of patriotic value and honor within American military culture and patriotism today. It can even serve as an inspiring message of loyalty!
Tattoo designs featuring this phrase offer various options, such as pairing it with a skull or blade image. You can also add a vibrant heart or rose to convey the sentiment behind the phrase, symbolizing giving up oneself for the country or community. This phrase is popular among soldiers in the US military but can also be used by citizens who value their country and would rather die than disgrace it. Ensure the tattoo represents who you are as an individual and effectively communicates your beliefs.
