Should There Be A Policy Regarding Tattoos In The Marine Corps

A topic that the Marine Corps has been debating for the past decade is whether or not there should be a policy regarding tattoos. It has been a constant struggle to balance the personal desires of the individual Marine and maintain the appearance of professionalism that is expected of the Marine Corps. A tattoo policy definitely needs to be in place in order to maintain a positive perception, sustain good order and discipline, and provide a standard of uniformity. As one of the elite fighting organizations in the world, the American public expects the Marine Corps to maintain a sharp, professional military appearance. Although tattoos are becoming more and more acceptable within the public, they are still often viewed as having a homologous

One of the key elements of combat readiness is unit cohesion. In order to achieve unit cohesion, individual Marines must not feel segregated so they can further develop their esprit de corps. Allowing Marines to display racist, sexist, or gang-related tattoos would be contrary to good order and discipline as it would create discrimination amongst service-members. Having a policy would help eliminate segregation thus creating a standard of

The Marine Corps has grooming requirements and regulations in order to maintain uniformity as well as a team identity within the military population. This uniformity creates an individuality that sets us apart from other services but individuality amongst Marines can be detrimental to the unit. Recruits receive a haircut upon arrival to boot camp not only to conform to the grooming standards but to eliminate that individuality. Marines are taught that they are no longer individuals but rather a team and in order to act as a team, they must be in uniformity with one another. One of the basic tenets of the military is to prioritize the group over the individual and by maintaining this standard of uniformity, the Marine Corps will continue to be successful. For the past 241 years, the Marine Corps has been viewed as the most elite fighting force in the world. In order to maintain this legacy in the future, certain contributing factors must be met. The Marine Corps must maintain a positive perception in the eyes of the public, must maintain good order and discipline, and must have a standard of uniformity. Having a tattoo policy will allow this to be accomplished and allow us to continue being the most professional organization in the world. In no policy is in place, tattoos will continue to be a relevant issue of debate in the Marine Corps for years to