While all six branches of the American armed forces allow waivers for certain unauthorized tattoos for recruits and current service members, policies aren't clear about when those waivers are available or how to request them.
That’s among the conclusions of a 28-page GAO report released Wednesday. The report notes that each service branch has policies on the content, size, and location of allowable tattoos.
“In addition, each armed force, except for the Navy, allows waivers for certain tattoo restrictions for service members, but their respective policies generally do not document this possibility clearly,” the GAO said.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 includes a provision for GAO to review the armed forces' tattoo policies. In its report, GAO examined the extent to which tattoo policies exist for potential and current members of the armed forces; the armed forces assess any effects of their tattoo policies on the recruitment and retention of members, and the armed forces have waiver processes for unauthorized tattoos.
“As tattoos have become more common, policies have become less restrictive on size and location,” the report notes. “Current policies allow tattoos almost anywhere except the head.”
The House Committee on Armed Services and the military services have acknowledged recent challenges in recruiting, which they have attributed to a number of social and economic factors, the GAO said. Tattoo prevalence among American youth has also increased, and Congress has expressed interest in the effect the armed forces' tattoo policies have on recruitment and retention.
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“Armed forces recruitment and retention data doesn’t include information that would allow us to assess whether tattoo policies have an effect on recruitment and retention,” the report found.
Armed forces officials the GAO interviewed for its report stated that recruiting and retention data do not include tattoo-specific data or other information that would allow an assessment of whether tattoo policies have a direct effect on recruitment and retention.
“Officials stated that tattoo policy updates are based on general discussions and on limited assessments of tattoo-related information, such as studies on tattoo prevalence among youth,” said the report.
Clear guidance on waivers for unauthorized tattoos would provide consistent information about requirements for waiver requests and conditions for approval, the report continues.
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“This could clarify whether tattoo prevalence affects future or continued military service,” the report found.
The GAO recommended that each of the six armed forces update its tattoo policy, as appropriate, to better ensure that it clearly documents whether waivers are available for recruits and service members; and provides clear guidance on eligible tattoos and requirements for requesting a waiver, among other things.
The Department of Defense and the military services generally agreed, as did the Department of Homeland Security, under which the Coast Guard falls, with the recommendations.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.