quote:

Originally posted by meh:
I have a little over 3 weeks before I ship and from previous experience, know my ink will be healed by then.

No, you don't.

It's almost healed now..... Thanks for the concern though

meh,
Ok Crazy....all I have to say is that if you go on with your Army career with the mind-set that you have shown throughout this thread, you got a long way to go there Airborne. The freakin SFC told you not to first of all. Secondly you come here to ask advice from service veterans (and frankly you got some real good advise from everyone) yet you did your own thing. Disrespect to those who put their time in trying to give you good advise. Guidance/mentoring and training is what NCO's do best. If youre not "feeling it" reconsider......

thanks for your concern Gluckab. I slightly understand how frustrating it can be when some civilian "future cadets" aren't as compliant as they should be.
Giving up free will and my social freedom hasn't been an easy decision to make; as I am sure it doesn't come 100% for 100% of the civilians applying for the military. The meer suggestion that my recruiter made, was just that. It was on a very personal level, which, at the time I thought was advise pertaining to my application.
If I knew I'd catch biased opinions about my personal decision, there wouldn't have been a thread made.

quote:

Secondly you come here to ask advice from service veterans

I didn't come here to ask advise from veterans, I came here to ask advise of anyone who wanted to help.
Again, I appreciate your concern Gluckab, but now I know better. Some learn through hearing about certain consequences while others have to learn hands on. It doesn't make them crazy or stupid, it just makes them human.

quote:

Originally posted by meh:
If I knew I'd catch biased opinions about my personal decision, there wouldn't have been a thread made.

1. Bias is not a bad thing.

2. No one said a damn thing about your personal decision. Every comment was regarding your decision in the context of how it will affect your IET activities.

quote:

Originally posted by meh:
I didn't come here to ask advise from veterans, I came here to ask advise of anyone who wanted to help.

Either you're blowing smoke or you were (are) woefully ignorant of the populace here. The vast majority (I would guess over 90%) are soldiers, with just about everyone else being a family member, a former soldier, or a person interested in being one.

quote:

2. No one said a damn thing about your personal decision. Every comment was regarding your decision in the context of how it will affect your IET activities.

Excuse my blatant ignorance, I really am trying to figure out what to and what not to say once I am enlisted. But aren't you contradicting yourself when you said nothing was commented on my personal decision? Re-wording it or not, the way I perceived it, was that comments were made on my personal decision. I posted fully aware and prepared for comments, but mainly advise.

quote:

Either you're blowing smoke or you were (are) woefully ignorant of the populace here. The vast majority (I would guess over 90%) are soldiers, with just about everyone else being a family member, a former soldier, or a person interested in being one.

Call me woefully ignorant then. I stumbled onto this site not knowing anything about it. I just thought it was a military-centered forum with people who knew some answers that I didn't.


I understand that one you go through MEPS for your initial physical, it would be stupid to go AFTER, right before you sign and ship, to get new and fresh tattoos. I understand that they document what they do for a very valid purpose.

My initial question (re-wording it) was, would it be a bad choice to get fresh ink BEFORE I go for my initial physical. Not after.
I am a stubborn person, but I'm not stupid. I know the repercussions of certain actions.

This is just a very scary experience and because I chose to question everything I don't understand it seems to make this experience even worse some times. I just want to make sure I am informed and educated opposed to anything else. If my questions are really that irritating to you, then make the choice to ignore them.
I perceive some answers as insults when they're intended to be advise. We learn from our mistakes though.

quote:

Posted 31 January 2009 09:24
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

This was a question pertaining to BEFORE I went through MEPS, not after. I worded my initial question wrong.

quote:

Originally posted by meh:
This was a question pertaining to BEFORE I went through MEPS, not after. I worded my initial question wrong.

Had you been clear there wouldn't have been any drama.

Hopefully you learned the lesson since it is an Important one. Half the "issues" new Soldiers have in the Army is because they either Don't Listen (at all or just "partially,") or Don't Say what they "meant" to say.

One helpful hint, if I may-
You seem plenty intelligent, when NCOs ask you questions, just answer the question.
It infruriates us and makes things so much more difficult when Soldiers DON'T.

ie I ask someone, "Did you go to the XXX at XXX time?" and I get, "Well, so and so said this, then I had to do that, then..."

quote:

Originally posted by meh:
Excuse my blatant ignorance, I really am trying to figure out what to and what not to say once I am enlisted. But aren't you contradicting yourself when you said nothing was commented on my personal decision?

Nope. Not one thing was said regarding the simple fact you want a tattoo. Every comment was talking about the issue with a new tattoo and your MEPS experience.

quote:

Re-wording it or not, the way I perceived it, was that comments were made on my personal decision.

You perceived wrongly.

quote:

I posted fully aware and prepared for comments, but mainly advise.

On a message board, you don't get to choose the replies. Besides, all comments came with advice, no?

quote:

Call me woefully ignorant then. I stumbled onto this site not knowing anything about it. I just thought it was a military-centered forum with people who knew some answers that I didn't.

It is.

quote:

I understand that one you go through MEPS for your initial physical, it would be stupid to go AFTER, right before you sign and ship, to get new and fresh tattoos. I understand that they document what they do for a very valid purpose.

My initial question (re-wording it) was, would it be a bad choice to get fresh ink BEFORE I go for my initial physical. Not after.
I am a stubborn person, but I'm not stupid. I know the repercussions of certain actions.

This is just a very scary experience and because I chose to question everything I don't understand it seems to make this experience even worse some times. I just want to make sure I am informed and educated opposed to anything else.

Then ask what you mean, and accept the answer.

quote:

If my questions are really that irritating to you, then make the choice to ignore them.

What I answer and what I ignore is my prerogative.

quote:

I perceive some answers as insults when they're intended to be advise.

Again, you perceive wrongly. At least, judging from other threads you've started, you know that you have a problem with taking insult where none is intended.

quote:

Originally posted by IntelSergeant:

Again, you perceive wrongly. At least, judging from other threads you've started, you know that you have a problem with taking insult where none is intended.

I have a problem with taking anything the way it's intended. This is going to be a challenge to get over, but this is another reason why I am enlisting. I have no structure.

quote:

Originally posted by meh:

I have a problem with taking anything the way it's intended. This is going to be a challenge to get over, but this is another reason why I am enlisting. I have no structure.

You're already way ahead of some people in recognizing and address a problem. I think you're going to be fine. Good luck with your training and career.

quote:

Originally posted by SGT Diesel:


You're already way ahead of some people in recognizing and address a problem. I think you're going to be fine. Good luck with your training and career.

Hopefully so and thank you . I'm glad I've posted here, some of the harder answers are helping me identify my weaknesses. Let's just hope I can identify them when it comes down to really needing to!

So i kind of have the same question. The only difference is that i dont leave till september. Its important that i get this tattoo its a family matter. All it is is a cross with my older brothers initials. So i dont know why i cant get it unless my recruiter doesnt want to do the paperwork? Im not blaming my recruiter he's done so much for me. Can anybody give me any info?

quote:

Originally posted by PFC Z:
So i kind of have the same question. The only difference is that i dont leave till september. Its important that i get this tattoo its a family matter. All it is is a cross with my older brothers initials. So i dont know why i cant get it unless my recruiter doesnt want to do the paperwork? Im not blaming my recruiter he's done so much for me. Can anybody give me any info?

Have you already enlisted or done the paperwork w/ the recruiter?
If so then it complicates their job. It's not impossible, just not the smartest idea.

Ok thank you. I talked with my recruiter about it and got the info i needed.