A Reason I Got Out Of The Military

The Marine Corps has decided to limit tattoos more then they already do. They are not going to allow tattoos that are past the elbow and knee...wow. These men can go into combat, but can't do what they like with their bodies. Half the recruits may go into another service since they won't be allowed in the Marine Corps with those tats.

This is my problem with the military today and from what I understand, it has been a problem since Desert Storm. The military cares more about appearances then it does about performance. The person who looks the part gets the promotion over the person who can actually accomplish the job. Promotion is out-dated in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps. I think, though I could be wrong, that Air Force is the only service where your knowledge of your ACTUAL job affects if you get promoted or not. In the Army how competent you are at your job has no effect, you're only tested on general army knowledge.

Over half the military winds up with tattoos, it's a foregone conclusion. You know what you will find outside almost every military base in the US? Tattoo parlors and car lots. I'm not talking down the road either, we're talking a few hundred feet from the gates. In Germany you can replace the car lots with red light districts. I began getting my tattoos when I was in training and it has continued on to this day. I understand banning gang, racists and the like tattoos, but to ban ink that is almost always covered, fucking ridiculous.

For educational knowledge, here is my latest ink which was mentioned in yesterday's post.

The most disgusting thing about Iraq

Anita and I were discussing this very issue recently and I wanted to bring this to everyone's attention.

Via Bob Gieger:
RIP Jonathan Schulze, I hope you now have the peace you were missing in this lifetime.

It makes me sick to hear these right-wingers complain about people not supporting the troops when it is their god damn president who only supports them while they serve. No president has ever cut the funding for the VA like Dubya has.

I think about all the good we could have done for this country with the money he has just thrown to Darth's company (Halliburton) and various other things in Iraq. How many great and wonderful projects that could have helped this country become a glowing example for the rest of the world, and it makes me sick that they spent it on greed and arrogance.

I want to thank Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND), for finally bringing this to the Senate floor. It's sad that not even the Marine's own Senators brought this to the floor.