The Army updated tattoo regulations (670-1) in April 2015. Plan to remove ink on your wrist, face, hands, head or neck (below the t-shirt line is acceptable) prior to joining. Additional no-no's include tattoos in your ears, mouth or eyelids, according to the regulations.
As a general rule, the Armed Forces prohibits “tattoos that are prejudicial to good order and discipline, or that are of a nature to bring discredit to their service. Specifically, all of the policies prohibit content related to extremism, sexism, and racism.
The main takeaways regarding the Army Tattoo Policy are: There is no limit to the number of tattoos you can have. You can NOT have tattoos on your wrists / hands, neck, or face. The only exception to this is a ring tattoo, one per hand.
The ADF has a strict policy regarding personal appearance. The acceptability of tattoos and body piercings will be assessed on a case by case basis by Defence Force Recruiting. If you are considering getting either please contact us for guidance as this may affect your application.
There are restrictions regarding content of tattoos, but we'll get to that in a bit. Sleeve tattoos are now allowed but cannot fall below the wrist. Band tattoos (i.e. tribal bands) are permitted. Tattoos are not allowed above the collar bone and cannot be seen above the uniformed fitted T-shirt.
Generally speaking, visits to a tattoo removal clinic will be on your own dime—the government will not pay for you to have a tattoo removed, nor will health insurance. Fortunately, we do offer special discounts for military recruits, active duty, and veterans – it's our way of saying, “thank you for your service!”
Each branch has slightly different rules when it comes to visible tattoos, and some of that depends on the job you have in the military. As a general rule, as long as the tattoos aren't found to be offensive, then it generally isn't a problem. But you may want to call and talk to a recruiter about it.
A: No. While there is clearly some discretion about tattoos that are located elsewhere on your body, anything on your head, neck or face is strictly prohibited.
Hands: All the service branches prohibit hand tattoos. But they all have minor exceptions to this rule. The Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps allow finger ring tattoos, one per hand. The Marine Corps specifies that the finger ring tattoo cannot exceed 3/8 inch in width.
Australia has no national laws that make it illegal for employers to ban visible body ink in the workplace or to reject applicants because of their tattoos.
The Army will now allow Soldiers to have one tattoo on each hand that does not exceed one inch in length. Soldiers also have the option to place one tattoo no larger than two inches on the back of their neck and one, inch-long tattoo behind each ear.
Under the new policy, airmen and Guardians are allowed to have one tattoo on each hand and one tattoo on the back of the neck; they cannot exceed one inch or portray obscene, racist or violent symbols. Previously, the services allowed only ring tattoos limited to a single band.
From 1 to 6 months
After a month, any itching and redness should have completely gone. In fact, your new tattoo may look fully healed! However, the skin under your tattoo can continue to repair itself for up to six months until it's considered healed. During this stage it's important to keep up your aftercare routine.
Palm-sized tattoo would take from one to three hours to make. Hand sized tattoo can take up to 5 hours to make. Full sleeve tattoo can take 6-10 hours to make. Very large tattoos, such as a back piece, can take up to 30 hours to make.
Approvals for the waivers take at least two weeks. Current policies throughout the military allow tattoos almost anywhere except on the head and face, according to the report.
Head & Face: prohibited by all branches. Arms & Torso: fully permitted by all branches. Fingers: permitted with limitations by the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard; fully permitted by the Navy. Legs: fully permitted by all branches.
Because of the high level of competition and standards needed to join the Australian Defence Force (ADF), the initial examination is intentionally difficult. Each applicant must work hard to prepare and perform at their best and exceed their competition.
It is lawful for your employer to have policies regarding your appearance at work. These policies may include a ban on visible tattoos and other matters however should not result in harsh or unfair treatment.
If you enroll in boot camp, expect to be on duty seven days a week, though you might get several hours of personal time on Sunday since it's a day with lighter responsibilities.
If your tattoo is offensive, obscene or racist it will stop you joining. Small tattoos that aren't offensive in any way are not normally a problem, depending where they are on your body and how visible they are. The general rule is if your tattoo is visible on a passport photo it will be deemed unacceptable.
Generally speaking, your face must be clean-shaven and facial hair is not allowed (aside from mustaches) as a function of the armed forces' interest in becoming and appearing as one, cohesive unit.
Ink Armor sleeves are super comfortable and come in a huge selection of styles, sizes and colors. They can help you comply with your existing military tattoo policy and they are even Made in the USA! Ink Armor sleeves by Tat2X were designed specifically to help people cover up their tattoos.
You can shower 3-4 hours after getting a tattoo, if you have a Saniderm bandage on, however, if you have a plastic wrap wait 24 hours to unwrap your tattoo and shower. In either case, shower in cold or lukewarm water and avoid prolonged soaking or submerging your tattoo in water for 3-4 weeks.
Older tattoos may be raised due to scar tissue
Thicker lines, and more pressure applied during tattooing, can cause some scarring. It's nothing to be concerned about, but it can sometimes raise up, and this is generally caused by changes in body temperature or weather conditions, as well as general health.
It is advisable that you refrain from drinking for at least 48-72 hours after getting a tattoo. It is normal for plasma and blood to ooze 48 hours after getting a tattoo. However, alcohol consumption will increase the bleeding rate due to blood thinning. Excessive bleeding may lead to bigger problems.