Allowing women to wear crew-neck undershirts will permit female recruits with tattoos to enlist
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said today that the United States Marine Corps has agreed to change its uniform standards to allow women to wear crew-neck undershirts, like their male counterparts, to cover up chest tattoos. Previously, some female recruits were prevented from enlisting because they were only allowed to wear v-neck undershirts, which sometimes expose chest tattoos.
"This was a common-sense change and will allow bright, dedicated young women like Kate to serve their country proudly as a Marine," Pingree said. "I don't believe the old policy was intentionally discriminatory, but in the end it prevented women with some tattoos from enlisting when their male counterparts with the same tattoos were allowed to sign up. I'm grateful to General Neller for listening to our concerns and appreciate him acting to quickly change the policy."
Pimental said she's thrilled with news of the change in policy.
"There is nothing I want more than to be able to serve as a Marine," she said. "And I'm so grateful that Congresswoman Pingree stood up for me and helped get this policy changed."
Although the Marine Corps policy discourages accepting recruits with tattoos, waivers are regularly given when the tattoo can be covered up by the official uniform. For male Marines, that uniform can include a crew-neck undershirt that would cover up a tattoo like Pimental's. But because the Marine Corps uniform for women is cut lower and they had only been allowed to wear a v-neck undershirt, the same tattoo on a female recruit effectively kept her from enlisting. Under the policy change Pingree announced today, female recruits will now be able to wear a crew-neck undershirt.
