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Military Tats


Ks706
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I couldn't find this thread so I started one. I remember a crusty old 1st Sergeant telling me that Army tattoos are only cool when your out. Either way we all know ink and the military have a history together.

Soldier's cross, St. Micheal, Globe and Anchor. You get the Idea.

I have a lame US ARMY on my shoulder (whatever). I rarely see any cool Military theme tattoos. Anyone out there got some really cool stuff from their time in the service? What about some shitty stuff you got when you were a private and went to the closest parlor off base? I have seen some just ridiculous stuff from my time in, so bad they are good.

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I have a black and gray skull and anchor that take up the majority of my inner bicep...I have a head of a "deck ape" on the back of my arm, and portrait of Dick Marcenko on my leg, a what the fuck was a I thinking cracked out pig on my calf (never got around to the rooster)

My wife has a Sailor Pinup girl I drew up for her and my mentor put it on her leg

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I have many that I have that are all related to my time in the Corps. Most are in my profile. I'll have to see if I can find them again. My favorites by far are the ones on my hands with our unit call sign and then our companies motto

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I think they can be real cool, most marines I know have some sort of marine related tattoo and some have company and MOS but army doesnt seem to rep as much unless airborne. Air force not at all, infact I have never seen an air force related tattoo and its prob considered taboo if your an officer

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I think they can be real cool, most marines I know have some sort of marine related tattoo and some have company and MOS but army doesnt seem to rep as much unless airborne. Air force not at all, infact I have never seen an air force related tattoo and its prob considered taboo if your an officer

True but I think its because we as Marines are taught to take pride in ourselves and our history. The average soldier, or airman and probably sailor as well doesn't know much of their branches history compared to Marines.

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I think most people in the Army hate the Army too much to get a tattoo related to it (as the man dumping the Army in 6 days, maybe my opinion should come with a grain of salt).

I have been stationed on Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy bases. Marines most certainly have the most pride. Air Force..... To me, they always seemed to be doing a job that happened to be in the Air Force.... Marines were Marines, their job (MOS) was just ancillary. Navy? All the Navy folks I knew were in medical fields (not a heavily tattoo's group I imagine) so I can't comment on them.

The Army though... Oi. I would get a piece about an experience I had in the Army, but never one to show pride in the Army or even any unit I served in.

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True but I think its because we as Marines are taught to take pride in ourselves and our history. The average soldier, or airman and probably sailor as well doesn't know much of their branches history compared to Marines.

I was in the Army and we definitely had to know our Unit's and branch's history. But I also think it depends on the unit you are in, the Corps is much small than the Army, and there are so many different units in the Army. I always identified with the division I was in (First Armored, First Cav, 3rd ID). But you are right, I always said the Army would be better off if there was a more emphasis placed on Army history and Esprit De Corps like they do in the Marines. Not to mention changing our dress uniforms every 10 years.

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I think most people in the Army hate the Army too much to get a tattoo related to it (as the man dumping the Army in 6 days, maybe my opinion should come with a grain of salt).

I have been stationed on Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy bases. Marines most certainly have the most pride. Air Force..... To me, they always seemed to be doing a job that happened to be in the Air Force.... Marines were Marines, their job (MOS) was just ancillary. Navy? All the Navy folks I knew were in medical fields (not a heavily tattoo's group I imagine) so I can't comment on them.

The Army though... Oi. I would get a piece about an experience I had in the Army, but never one to show pride in the Army or even any unit I served in.

Sorry you had such a horrible time, I totally disagree as joining the Army was hands down the greatest decision I ever made. I was in combat arms and most of us were extremely proud of our branch and unit, lots of tattoos (most of them shitty). Didn't know a lot of guys who "hated" the Army, usually they just get jaded by the time they leave.

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I was in the Army and we definitely had to know our Unit's and branch's history. But I also think it depends on the unit you are in, the Corps is much small than the Army, and there are so many different units in the Army. I always identified with the division I was in (First Armored, First Cav, 3rd ID). But you are right, I always said the Army would be better off if there was a more emphasis placed on Army history and Esprit De Corps like they do in the Marines. Not to mention changing our dress uniforms every 10 years.

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Sorry you had such a horrible time, I totally disagree as joining the Army was hands down the greatest decision I ever made. I was in combat arms and most of us were extremely proud of our branch and unit, lots of tattoos (most of them shitty). Didn't know a lot of guys who "hated" the Army, usually they just get jaded by the time they leave.

I think combat arms do have a lot more pride in their units. I think my experience might have been tattoo worthy if that were my career track.

I am/was an officer in the AMEDD, a notoriously disgruntled/frustrated bunch.

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I think combat arms do have a lot more pride in their units. I think my experience might have been tattoo worthy if that were my career track.

I am/was an officer in the AMEDD, a notoriously disgruntled/frustrated bunch.

I agree. I know coming from the infantry there is more pride than anywhere else. But that makes sense especially since we have been at war for over a decade and the majority of infantry bn and other combat arms have seen at least some combat and thus you will take more pride in your time in.

However save for those in the Army who I know have seen combat the vast majority of soldiers I see don't seem to have much pride in their branch let alone know anything about the history of their unit or major figures in the Army's history. You can find the most remf Marine and they'll know every single remotely famous Marine and I've seen supply guys and admin clerks with motto tats. You'll be hard pressed to find any grunt who doesn't have some tattoos directly related to the Corps, his unit and/or his deployment. I know almost all of my boys have both.

There is the benefit of us being so much smaller that frankly the PC bullshit that has made the rest of the military pussified doesn't affect us as much. When I got out in 07 we could still haze the shit out of people and hell just a few years back we had Marines pissing on dead taliban and a STA plt in front of a flag that looked like SS lightning bolts...(Even though the SS stands for Scout Sniper....) and we because we're Marines can get away with that type of shit because at the end of the day everyone loves us.

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I was in the Navy for four years stationed with a reserve logistics squadron. We trained weekend warriors, so I never got the full Navy experience. All the old guys in our squadron loved it because it was semi-retirement for them.

Because every other guy in the barracks went out and got a Navy tattoo, I felt somewhat pressured to get one but still wasn't sure about the whole tattoo thing. So I got a dolphin (unrelated to the Navy) on my hip so it could be easily covered. I've thought about getting something different to commemorate my time, but I basically saw the Navy as my ticket to college, so I don't want to over exaggerate my enthusiasm for my time spent.

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I was in the Navy for four years stationed with a reserve logistics squadron. We trained weekend warriors, so I never got the full Navy experience. All the old guys in our squadron loved it because it was semi-retirement for them.

Because every other guy in the barracks went out and got a Navy tattoo, I felt somewhat pressured to get one but still wasn't sure about the whole tattoo thing. So I got a dolphin (unrelated to the Navy) on my hip so it could be easily covered. I've thought about getting something different to commemorate my time, but I basically saw the Navy as my ticket to college, so I don't want to over exaggerate my enthusiasm for my time spent.

Eh I had already been accepted into the NROTC and UT when I enlisted so I joined literally because it was right after I'd turned 17 which was two months after we invaded Iraq and I figured war might be fun, which it was. The GI Bill is nice but I didn't need it to go to college like I am now.

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