A new rule applied to Army Regulation 670-1, which contains rules concerning wear and appearance of Army uniforms and insignia, will ban soldiers from getting tattoos on certain parts of the body.

The new rule was announced to soldiers at bases in Afghanistan by Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond Chandler. He told troops that the rule only needs to be signed by Secretary of the Army John McHugh before it is official. The new rule will limit soldiers in the Army from having tattoos that show below the elbows and knees or above the neckline. Soldiers who already have tattoos in these areas won’t be affected by the change. When the rule is made official, troops will have to “self-identify” tattoos with a unit leader. No other unit of the military will be affected by the new rule, which is expected to be put into place in the next 30 to 60 days, reports ABC News.

Other new rules that will apply to Army Regulation 670-1 will cover regulations for make-up, fingernail polish, hair styles, body piercings, and the length of sideburns.

The opinions contained in this column are solely those of the writer.
 
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