US military relaxes tattoo standards to recruit

(RT) ⸻ The Department of the Air Force has revised its policy to allow for body art on the neck and hands, which will help ease a US military recruiting crisis. Previously, hand tattoos were limited to a single ring band on one hand. The Air Force met its 2022 target for active-duty recruits, but only after sweetening enlistment bonuses twice and accelerating the start dates for people who had signed contracts to enter service in 2023. Major General Ed Thomas has said that 2022 was the toughest recruiting year of the current century. The Army missed its 2022 recruiting goal by 25%, even after easing its tattoo restrictions last year. Markings that are obscene, racist or commonly associated with gangs are still prohibited, as are tattoos on the face, tongue and scalp.