I have several tattoos and want more before I ship off to BCT. I was told my my recruiting SFC to not get any more until after training. I haven't been processed through MEPS yet, and was wondering why he told me not to get any more until after basic and AIT. Would it be a bad idea to go against his requests and get the work done before I go to basic?
Thanks

Your recruiter probably told you not to get any more work done until after training because: A. you fill out paperwork detailing the tattoos you have at MEPs, and he dosent want to have to go back and change it. B. He may not know what kind of tattoo you are going to get and dosent want to risk having you show up at the office with some new, crazy tattoo that is unauthorized, and now makes you ineligible for service. C. Its improbable these days, but you could have a bad reaction to the tattoo and get sick. Its all mostly just risk avoidance on your recruiter's part.
The bigger question is, If a senior NCO tells you that it would be in your best interests NOT to do something, why are you so eager to go against his advice?

As I'm sure you know, a tattoo is nothing more than a controlled wound. Basic is not the place to be worrying about proper care for a new tattoo. You'll be dirty and sweaty alot. Just listen to your recruiter and wait.

Go for it. I'm getting a tattoo after I go through meps and my recruiter told me it would be fine. I don't ship out for months so my tattoo will be healed by then.

Your specific circumstances dont necessarily pertain to lovemysgt, he could ship out 10 days from now and good luck having your battle buddy put cream on your scabbed up shoulder blade while your in the field.

yeah well im thinking he'll get the fact that if his tattoos arnt going to be healed by the time he leaves that he shouldnt get them.

quote:

Originally posted by DJackson:
Go for it. I'm getting a tattoo after I go through meps and my recruiter told me it would be fine. I don't ship out for months so my tattoo will be healed by then.

So?
Don't give bad advice to someone. The other people that answered have been in the army for a while. Not trying to be rude, but how much army experience do you have??

quote:

yeah well im thinking he'll get the fact that if his tattoos arnt going to be healed by the time he leaves that he shouldnt get them.

here's an Important Army Lesson-

MANY SOLDIERS ARE DUMB.

I'm not saying he/she's dumb, but don't assume that anyone thinks as well as you do- when you tell them what to do, DON'T just guess that they'll use the brain to figure out the part you didn't tell them.

quote:

Originally posted by lovemysgt:
First off, I am female. Also, I haven't processed through MEPS yet and won't be shipping off to basic for well over a month. It would be sheer idiocy to ship with a massive open wound.
I spoke again with my recruiter and it was a personal remark, not professional and not anything that would be relevant to my career.
If I was looking for a remark on my intelligence, AutoSHO, I'd go to a chat room full of people who have the mental capacity to only insult one another. Some work with their hands, while others work with their heads. Where do MSI's fit.
Think before you say something that makes you look like a bigger jack ass then you really are.

There was no comment directed at your intelligence. In fact, the comment was crafted knowing full well that there wasn't enough info to assess your intelligence level.

Also, get over yourself. You won't win many favors referring to more experienced people as "jack asses."

quote:

Originally posted by lovemysgt:
And, yes. I will get my ass smoked because of my big mouth but I have enough fortitude to back it up to advance; ASSuming I can use my brain to figure out the parts that weren't told to me. So before anyone else has a jackass comment to make to my ridiculous one, know I fully understand the repercussions of my actions.

I don't think that statement is necessarily true.

the point of "Dont get an tattoo" after MEPPS is to ensure your signed and dated paperwork is correct and current.

for all intent and purpose, Once you sign your name and commit to training you belong to the Army. You get to choose based on the needs of the army what MOS you would like in the hope that you will perform that job well as opposed to assigning you a job. Other than that you are under contract to sacrifice many of your personal freedom and chioces for the needs and requirements of the service.

the Army just bought a new car. basically. it paid for it, got the warranty, and had it inspected. Everything was found servicable and in working condition.

the Army didnt Order it with Racing stripes. wait to repaint until you are in the motor pool with the other tune ups.

make sense?

quote:

Originally posted by DJackson:
Go for it. I'm getting a tattoo after I go through meps and my recruiter told me it would be fine. I don't ship out for months so my tattoo will be healed by then.

Whatever is good for you might not be good for someone else, you are not even in the Army yet so I would hold off on the advice, I am not trying to be rude, but you just dont know the policies and procedures to be giving advices like "go for it" when you yourself have not seen what might happen if you get a tattoo while in the Future Soldier status...

quote:

Originally posted by DJackson:
yeah well im thinking he'll get the fact that if his tattoos arnt going to be healed by the time he leaves that he shouldnt get them.

you "think" just like you would think people would listen and not get tattoos between going to MEPS and their ship date, but hey, here we are trying to help you both out...

You know what, DJ Jackson,

get the tattoo, get all the tattoos you want, and this is going to be funny when you go back to MEPS, cant ship, lose your MOS, lose your Bonus and become a DEP Loss and now you cant ship and your Recruiter is getting chewed out for saying you can just go ahead and get a tattoo.

Then you will say "oh man those guys online were right, why didnt I listen"

thanks for the good advise transAm95NCO. Your point about returning to MEPS and being DQ'd completely answered my question and I appreciate how clear and concise your answer was.

army regulation states u can get as many tats as u want u can now get tats on your hands and neck just not about the jaw bone. u cant get tats that r racial or satanic. but if u r going to trainning i wouldnt get one right before shipping though cuz of infection at least give it a couple weeks to heal up before u leave

Spoke again to my recruiter about getting more tattoos; reluctantly, he said that his statement was made on a personal level. I also asked a friend who processes new recruits at MEPS about being DQ'd for having ink not documented. He said it doesn't matter as long as it's within 'Army regulations'.
I have a little over 3 weeks before I ship and from previous experience, know my ink will be healed by then.