Against tradition

Not being content with only banning some age-old male soldier on soldier nookie, what with classical Sparta and Athens being all the rage at the cinema these days, the United States Marine Corps is now going against that other traditional aspect of military life: the tattoo.

"The US Marines are banning the wearing of large tattoos, saying they do not represent "traditional values".
From Sunday, tattoos on the head or neck, or large tattoos on arms or legs will not be allowed. Marines already with the tattoos are exempt.
Unit commanders will photograph and document all existing tattoos to make sure Marines do not touch them up.
Dozens of Marines are reportedly queuing up at tattoo parlours to beat the deadline."

And good on those grunts beating the deadline. My message to their command is: Au contraire, mon commandant, tattoos very much represent traditional values in the military. Who has ever seen soldiers or sailors without tattoos?
Trying to ban it seems a folly and will be counterproductive for recruitment into the the largest taxpayer-funded BDSM club in the world. If you want to find hard men, you have to give them means to express their hardness.
Now that database of marine tattoo pictures would make serious money as a pay site, especially if it will feature full front and back body shots, leaving no skin exempt from scrutiny, and offering subscribers the opportunity to make suggestions where the tattoos should be touched up or re-designed. As a taxpayer you would want some say over how your soldiers go into battle.
The USMC policy document is here.