The U.S. Marine Corps introduced its new tattoo policy Thursday, maintaining the ban on Marines inking their necks or donning full sleeves.
The regulations serve as an update to the Corps’ 2010 policy that aimed to balance discipline with the desires of Marines to decorate themselves with tattoos signifying their sacred brotherhood.
While the 32-page tattoo policy booklet meticulously details how large a tattoo can be and where Marines can place the ink, the Corps has relaxed some of its previous rules.
Marines, the update to the tattoo regulation is out.
Link to the update: https://t.co/bDDPB8TIq9 pic.twitter.com/cKkORcalHo
— U.S. Marines (@USMC) June 2, 2016
Marines can now get a single band tattoo on one finger, which the Washington Post noted is likely an acknowledgment of servicemen and women often inking their spouses name on their ring finger rather than wearing a wedding ring.
Band tattoos around a Marine’s arm or leg can now be three inches wide rather than the previous two.
But the service-wide policy still restricts officers from having more than four visible tattoos when in physical training gear, which consists of a T-shirt and shorts.
Drug-related, gang-related, extremist, sexist, obscene, or racist tattoos are also still banned.
The Washington Post reported:
With the new rules, Marines will have a 120-day period to get their tattoos documented by higher-ups. Those with tattoos out of the new regulations could face repercussions in the form of counseling, administrative punishment and difficulty re-enlisting. Enlisted Marines with tattoos that do not conform to the stricter officer standards will not be able to make the jump from enlisted to commissioned.
The policy changes stand in contrast to the U.S. Navy’s newly updated regulations permitting full sleeves, neck tattoos, and ink behind the ears. The policy, now the most lenient in the military service, was an attempt to recruit and retain more sailors from younger generations, according to the Navy Times.
The Army meanwhile still bars neck tattoos, but soldiers are allowed to ink their arms in sleeves.