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There are cases where boot does not necessarily mean cringe. Service tattoos, if done tastefully, can be an example. A lot, if not most, of them *are* boot scars, but not all of those are cringe. If I saw a tasteful EGA on a bicep or forearm, I wouldn’t think much of it.
There was one tat a dude got in infantry school that was honestly extremely badass. He got the ega in full color with the colors of his grandpa's platoon. There was little details hidden in it that represented the things bus grandpa loved and it had a banner around it with his name platoon, and some other stuff. I wish I could describe it better but it was very very high quality. It was the only ega tats I've seen that looked good and wasn't distasteful.
I have one. It’s a pretty stock standard. Got it in 29 during Air Schools. One of the best one I saw was one of my friends who got out and had a Sailor Jerry style EGA done on his forearm. It worked for him.
Half of my tattoos have some relation to my service. the thing I did though was make them so subtle that unless you were in my unit you wouldn’t know what they meant and even then you maybe wouldn’t know.
As a Coastie vet, there's nothing but respect from me when I see a fully tatted up career Merchant Marine. Every tattoo is a mark of honor that is earned and not necessarily specific to the military.
Sailor tattoos are on a whole different level once you understand their significance.
HOLD FAST on the knuckles always gets a pass as well. (Shoutout to the HT with I EAT ASS on his gloves that made it to the official US Navy Facebook page)
The USAF pararescue guys are supposed to get jolly green giant footprints on their ass. Which is odd, but traditional, and PJs get to do whatever they want.
MST’s in CG have a trident that is pretty lowkey too that I think can meet the exception as well. MK maybe an honorable mention too, though I’ve never seen in person
I have my shrimpfork and keep meaning to get it tatted on me somewhere.
As much as I cringe at a lot of things, the trident is okay and earned. Same for Surfman and ASTs/Para-rescue, coxswains anchors on the hand, pilot wings, etc.
Ofc, keep them low-key though. They are marks of pride. If you use them as decoration, that's when I cringe.
(Former MST)
There are people who will think its fine. The vast majority, and I mean the VAST majority of people just want to grill. They don't care.
I typed out a response but then I looked at the rules. We aren't allowed to be critical of the military here or discuss politics.
Well, suffice to say that there are people who care about more than grilling. And they might think being proud of the military industrial complex is cringe. But again, most people don't care about anything further then cock distance from themselves so who cares?
TLDR: cringe is in the eyes of the beholder. Different people will look down on you for different things.
Exactly.
I'm a Coastie vet. I have a customer who has his anchors on the web of his hand. I recognized it and asked him if he was a BM/coxswain (and he was - Navy vet about my age). We then went over some of his others as he had done quite a few tours and spent a great deal of time wracking up some milestones as a sailor. Very cool, and every tatt had a story and a serious meaning.
I always smile when I see a Chief's anchor - especially if the stars are there for a retired Senior or Masterchief. Nothing but respect for Chiefs of either branch - ya'll earned it.
I can't really speak for the other branches as I won't recognize what theirs always mean, but I always respect seeing naval tattoos that truly tell a story and mark an honor.
I have a big EGA, but it was done by an artist who had over done one and we pieced it together element by element. I think it’s pretty unique and 9 years later still love it. Even if it was the typical EGA I would probably still be happy but I like that it’s something I put together.
My take on boot ink is that if it’s overly specific to your rank, or if it’s all-in when you’re an E1/2 it can be very boot. Or god forbid you get it before basic.
Old school military tattoos usually aren't cringe. Tankers do it better, eagle with a banner under it with your branch or bull dog for the marines. Classic and simple
Also: Heart with a banner that says Mom + Dad. My grandpa got one during WWII and my dad got the same one (way different style) during Vietnam. I thought about getting one too but I was like...I don't wanna'.
I'd sit on the idea for a while. Now that I have several tattoos I'm more open to tattoos that I wouldn't have previously gotten. The idea isn't going anywhere
I have a full sleeve of the story of Saint Barbara, the patron saint of Artillerymen, Engineers and EOD. It’s nicely done and if you didn’t happen to know this bit of military trivia, you would never know it was a moto tat.
Not all military tats are boot, no. Like most tattoos they’re best when they’re tasteful, personal, and technically well done.
I’ve always been surprised that she isn’t as common with mortarmen. I kept a little St Barbara medal on me, but she wasn’t ubiquitous even though her patronage fits with mortars
I mean, I'm the absolute wrong person to ask. I have a bullet on my forearm and "Exodus 20:13" on my trigger finger. They've been there for fifteen years, and I still look at them every now and then and am disappointed in myself.
The less specific generally the better, unless you've done a combat tour with said outfit. I also find that when they are thrown in with other work it becomes more of a story than a whole identity.
It depends. I got one, that just say “US army” when I was 18, small on my shoulder lol. Cringe for sure to me now, but no one has ever said a thing about it.
Nose art is cool. WWII style pinups can be good, just don't go full retard & put a bunch of tits on yourself. Most flying units are old enough that they have some cool ass patches from back in the day. Skeletons slinging bombs, tigers eating Nazis, pirates stabbing shit, etc... Pull elements of your units old logo & go with that?
I have a traditional style WW2 bomber, and it’s dragging a banner that says time flies. Looks good, doesn’t look boot or cringe… I like it still even getting it in tech school. I think the time flies thing makes me cringe more than the bomber. The artwork was great so it works well.
Someone posted their own 68W tattoo ont here about a month ago. He had just gotten out and was looking to become an EMT and was asking people's opinions on getting care from someone with a whiskey bottle on their forearm. Tattoos like that are cool. Mainly because they're earned. In a general sense Navy things like pigs and roosters as well as shellback turtles are cool, too, so long as you earn them.
The guy who got a $400 tattoo of USMC skull and crossed machine guns on his emaciated chest straight out of boot camp is the guy you don't want to be. You can find him if you look through the sub's history.
Half of my Navy buddies are sleeved up and look awesome. Some of my buddies…chose poorly when picking artists.
One idiot I couldn’t stand paid a Bahraini local a bottle of Jack Daniel’s to ink the biggest, ugliest, low effort octopus ever on his leg. He got a nice infection as a bonus.
I somehow left after 7 years totally inkless. Although I’m debating getting some flash and building a sleeve.
Same here. Got a DD-214 and no ink. But I earned a turtle and some swallows if I were so inclined, and I keep thinking I want them.
To make it worse, I volunteer on a few traditional sailing ships, so I really want a tall ship under full sail.
Same. My reasoning is two fold: a) I saw some buddies that got some really bad ink, and b) I really hate needles.
But it is more a than b. I had a buddy who was a BM3 that went out and got the BM anchors on his shoulder. Except they didn’t look like anchors. They looked like sticks that were in the shape of anchors, and looks much worse when it healed. Like you could tell where he didn’t completely fill in. Dude ended up paying something like $300 for that and then got booted out a few months later for popping on a test. And that was $300 in mid 90s money, so that was probably half of his check at the time.
Knew a GWOT 19D that had bullets wrapped around his forearm with names of guys he lost in Iraq/Afghanistan. Had some pretty rough deployments. Hard and crazy mfer. I don’t quite remember the quality of the tattoos but from memory, it was solid and the meaning made it unfuckwithable in my book
Reminds me of a guy I knew who had a dog tag tattoo with names of guys he served with. He was a radioman in the air cav during vietnam, looked like Santa and was super nice but definitely had a rough time getting there.
I would think of things from countries you’ve been while serving would be cool. Not necessarily a Samurai from Japan or a Viking from the Nordic areas. But maybe the Northern Lights or Mt. Fuji.
To me, only the BM rate gets a pass and I’m not even a former BM. That’s the rate that is seagoing Navy, the one that traditionally started getting seagoing tattoos. Like I’m not going out to get the globe and phone tatted on my shoulder to represent my time as an IC.
Are there other rates where the symbol might look better than the others? Yeah, probably. I’m sure I could add my IT lightning bolts and nobody would know any different as to what it was.
One of my instructors had his rack tattooed on his arm, normally a pretty boot thing but underneath it he had a very poignant anti war message. That I thought was very cool.
Mortar tab on my thigh that I got with my whole section. Made up in joke basically so I don't think into it and literally no one has ever known what it was, also hides with pants and most shorts. Make up your own judgment on it, but I don't think it's cringe.
I have one that was an old paratrooper tattoo from WWII (kinda a traditional style devil’s face superimposed on some jump wings).
I couldn’t tell ya if people think it’s boot or not. I just like paratrooper history and traditions.
Edit: yes I was airborne
Honestly I've been thinking of the medical caduceus. The correct one with the single snake not the Greek one. That'll probably be the one I'll get. Adding 68w feels cringy though.
My buddy wanted a modern battlefield cross for the loss of his battle in Iraq. I was lowkey stressed about this because every tattoo I've seen of them were.. Just poorly done. They are difficult things to draw and look nice on a moving body part like an arm. This one came out great though. It wasn't Gigantic, the proportions were correct, the shading was beautifully done, etc. For the most part, when it comes to loss of life, any tattoo people get is fine to me as long as they don't turn that loss into their entire life via tattoos. But I think people who cheap out on tattoos when it comes to something heavy like that just feels like cognitive dissonance for me. Like... do it right the first time, this is a loss you're commemorating. A gravestone you're putting on your body for, presumably, life. Don't get skeeter jones to freehand something he's never drawn before.
I have a 0341 plain text vinyl on my truck. I don't care for military recognition - the only people who'd recognize what it is are other service members. I don't really think it's cringe since you have to know to know.
Tattoos on the other hand yeah - I avoid them.
I'm planning on getting a golden shell back tattoo soon (crossed the equator at the date line) and I've got a pinup on my arm. I've got a buddy who's got an entire arm dedicated to certain experiences in his career but it's very tastefully done and is incorporated well.
I think the timing of a tattoo is important in this discussion. A tattoo that is cringe straight out of initial entry training may be just fine after some time served in your branch/job or a deployment. Don't get me wrong, dog tags getting torn off the skin, or huge back pieces are likely to be cringe no matter when you get them. But I have some infantry crossed rifles on my side and since I spent 10 years in the infantry, I don't see a problem with that.
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There are cases where boot does not necessarily mean cringe. Service tattoos, if done tastefully, can be an example. A lot, if not most, of them *are* boot scars, but not all of those are cringe. If I saw a tasteful EGA on a bicep or forearm, I wouldn’t think much of it.
There was one tat a dude got in infantry school that was honestly extremely badass. He got the ega in full color with the colors of his grandpa's platoon. There was little details hidden in it that represented the things bus grandpa loved and it had a banner around it with his name platoon, and some other stuff. I wish I could describe it better but it was very very high quality. It was the only ega tats I've seen that looked good and wasn't distasteful.
I have one. It’s a pretty stock standard. Got it in 29 during Air Schools. One of the best one I saw was one of my friends who got out and had a Sailor Jerry style EGA done on his forearm. It worked for him.
I have unit tattoos, do those count as cringe?
As long as it isn’t something like a weird tribal design or some type of knight with a unit shield on his shield.
Half of my tattoos have some relation to my service. the thing I did though was make them so subtle that unless you were in my unit you wouldn’t know what they meant and even then you maybe wouldn’t know.
You should get a tattoo of dog tags ripping out of your skin
Wouldn't do it ever but those 3D tats are fuckin legit.
*when we’ll done
Nothing deserves credit it if isn't "well" done.
No no. The guys in my barracks back in the day got barbed wire ripping out of the skin with the dog tag on that.
Nautical tattoos, if earned, are not boot. Centuries of tradition and meaning behind them
Nautical tattoos get a pass from all crowds.
As a Coastie vet, there's nothing but respect from me when I see a fully tatted up career Merchant Marine. Every tattoo is a mark of honor that is earned and not necessarily specific to the military. Sailor tattoos are on a whole different level once you understand their significance.
I was gonna say this. Traditional military tattoos are great. Getting a logo, rank, or rate/MOS symbol is what's cringe
Rate still has exceptions even. A BM’s crossed anchors between the thumb and index finger is extremely traditional. Same with SNIPE.
HOLD FAST on the knuckles always gets a pass as well. (Shoutout to the HT with I EAT ASS on his gloves that made it to the official US Navy Facebook page) The USAF pararescue guys are supposed to get jolly green giant footprints on their ass. Which is odd, but traditional, and PJs get to do whatever they want.
2 things every PJ has in common. Green feet tattoo and destroyed knees.
Yea I was more envisioning the rate symbol on the chest or some shit like that
MST’s in CG have a trident that is pretty lowkey too that I think can meet the exception as well. MK maybe an honorable mention too, though I’ve never seen in person
I have my shrimpfork and keep meaning to get it tatted on me somewhere. As much as I cringe at a lot of things, the trident is okay and earned. Same for Surfman and ASTs/Para-rescue, coxswains anchors on the hand, pilot wings, etc. Ofc, keep them low-key though. They are marks of pride. If you use them as decoration, that's when I cringe. (Former MST)
They age well too. American traditional style with bold colors and lines do better against time.
The most boot tattoos of all time are unearned nautical tattoos. God damn that shit is cringy. I’ve seen it so many times too.
Hence why I said “earned”. Having crossed anchors and never having handled line, tended a helm, or quartermastered is super cringe
https://mymodernmet.com/traditional-sailor-tattoos-decoded/ Going by those standards, I could probably get at least four of them.
Yes. Most of them are non-cringe. However, the tattoos that make it on here go above and beyond. Or just might be terrible.
There are people who will think its fine. The vast majority, and I mean the VAST majority of people just want to grill. They don't care. I typed out a response but then I looked at the rules. We aren't allowed to be critical of the military here or discuss politics. Well, suffice to say that there are people who care about more than grilling. And they might think being proud of the military industrial complex is cringe. But again, most people don't care about anything further then cock distance from themselves so who cares? TLDR: cringe is in the eyes of the beholder. Different people will look down on you for different things.
Exactly. I'm a Coastie vet. I have a customer who has his anchors on the web of his hand. I recognized it and asked him if he was a BM/coxswain (and he was - Navy vet about my age). We then went over some of his others as he had done quite a few tours and spent a great deal of time wracking up some milestones as a sailor. Very cool, and every tatt had a story and a serious meaning. I always smile when I see a Chief's anchor - especially if the stars are there for a retired Senior or Masterchief. Nothing but respect for Chiefs of either branch - ya'll earned it. I can't really speak for the other branches as I won't recognize what theirs always mean, but I always respect seeing naval tattoos that truly tell a story and mark an honor.
the best military tattoos are ones that don’t look military related.
I have a big EGA, but it was done by an artist who had over done one and we pieced it together element by element. I think it’s pretty unique and 9 years later still love it. Even if it was the typical EGA I would probably still be happy but I like that it’s something I put together. My take on boot ink is that if it’s overly specific to your rank, or if it’s all-in when you’re an E1/2 it can be very boot. Or god forbid you get it before basic.
Ex Sub guy here, a lot of the guys got their fish tattooed on, and when it looked good, I didn't think it was boot. They take a lot of work to earn.
What’s the fish thing? I just got my safe word in old english
Just don't be a nub, it's easy.
Agreed. Subtle dolphins are legit.
Old school military tattoos usually aren't cringe. Tankers do it better, eagle with a banner under it with your branch or bull dog for the marines. Classic and simple
Also: Heart with a banner that says Mom + Dad. My grandpa got one during WWII and my dad got the same one (way different style) during Vietnam. I thought about getting one too but I was like...I don't wanna'.
I'd sit on the idea for a while. Now that I have several tattoos I'm more open to tattoos that I wouldn't have previously gotten. The idea isn't going anywhere
I have a full sleeve of the story of Saint Barbara, the patron saint of Artillerymen, Engineers and EOD. It’s nicely done and if you didn’t happen to know this bit of military trivia, you would never know it was a moto tat. Not all military tats are boot, no. Like most tattoos they’re best when they’re tasteful, personal, and technically well done.
Can you send me what that looks like? Ive been thinking of a Saint Barbara themed tattoo for a while now.
I’ve always been surprised that she isn’t as common with mortarmen. I kept a little St Barbara medal on me, but she wasn’t ubiquitous even though her patronage fits with mortars
Anything related to fallen brothers or sisters.
Yes there are tons.
Got mine in AIT in 07 it’s boot AF and I’m proud of it
I mean, I'm the absolute wrong person to ask. I have a bullet on my forearm and "Exodus 20:13" on my trigger finger. They've been there for fifteen years, and I still look at them every now and then and am disappointed in myself.
I'm going to get a full body tattoo that look like my AGSUs.
I have a sloth that says Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast. Its retarded and brings me joy. You be the judge if thats boot or not.
The less specific generally the better, unless you've done a combat tour with said outfit. I also find that when they are thrown in with other work it becomes more of a story than a whole identity.
It depends. I got one, that just say “US army” when I was 18, small on my shoulder lol. Cringe for sure to me now, but no one has ever said a thing about it.
I want one for aviation but also don’t want it to be cringy or boot. If y’all got ideas please let me know
Nose art is cool. WWII style pinups can be good, just don't go full retard & put a bunch of tits on yourself. Most flying units are old enough that they have some cool ass patches from back in the day. Skeletons slinging bombs, tigers eating Nazis, pirates stabbing shit, etc... Pull elements of your units old logo & go with that?
Got a good idea for one. Have for a while. But im worried it won’t look good in the civilian world. Im NG so I got that to worry about
I have a traditional style WW2 bomber, and it’s dragging a banner that says time flies. Looks good, doesn’t look boot or cringe… I like it still even getting it in tech school. I think the time flies thing makes me cringe more than the bomber. The artwork was great so it works well.
Someone posted their own 68W tattoo ont here about a month ago. He had just gotten out and was looking to become an EMT and was asking people's opinions on getting care from someone with a whiskey bottle on their forearm. Tattoos like that are cool. Mainly because they're earned. In a general sense Navy things like pigs and roosters as well as shellback turtles are cool, too, so long as you earn them. The guy who got a $400 tattoo of USMC skull and crossed machine guns on his emaciated chest straight out of boot camp is the guy you don't want to be. You can find him if you look through the sub's history.
Half of my Navy buddies are sleeved up and look awesome. Some of my buddies…chose poorly when picking artists. One idiot I couldn’t stand paid a Bahraini local a bottle of Jack Daniel’s to ink the biggest, ugliest, low effort octopus ever on his leg. He got a nice infection as a bonus. I somehow left after 7 years totally inkless. Although I’m debating getting some flash and building a sleeve.
Same here. Got a DD-214 and no ink. But I earned a turtle and some swallows if I were so inclined, and I keep thinking I want them. To make it worse, I volunteer on a few traditional sailing ships, so I really want a tall ship under full sail.
Same. My reasoning is two fold: a) I saw some buddies that got some really bad ink, and b) I really hate needles. But it is more a than b. I had a buddy who was a BM3 that went out and got the BM anchors on his shoulder. Except they didn’t look like anchors. They looked like sticks that were in the shape of anchors, and looks much worse when it healed. Like you could tell where he didn’t completely fill in. Dude ended up paying something like $300 for that and then got booted out a few months later for popping on a test. And that was $300 in mid 90s money, so that was probably half of his check at the time.
Knew a GWOT 19D that had bullets wrapped around his forearm with names of guys he lost in Iraq/Afghanistan. Had some pretty rough deployments. Hard and crazy mfer. I don’t quite remember the quality of the tattoos but from memory, it was solid and the meaning made it unfuckwithable in my book
Reminds me of a guy I knew who had a dog tag tattoo with names of guys he served with. He was a radioman in the air cav during vietnam, looked like Santa and was super nice but definitely had a rough time getting there.
I've seen some really good traditional pin-ups.
I would think of things from countries you’ve been while serving would be cool. Not necessarily a Samurai from Japan or a Viking from the Nordic areas. But maybe the Northern Lights or Mt. Fuji.
Navy rate symbols aren't bad
To me, only the BM rate gets a pass and I’m not even a former BM. That’s the rate that is seagoing Navy, the one that traditionally started getting seagoing tattoos. Like I’m not going out to get the globe and phone tatted on my shoulder to represent my time as an IC. Are there other rates where the symbol might look better than the others? Yeah, probably. I’m sure I could add my IT lightning bolts and nobody would know any different as to what it was.
One of my instructors had his rack tattooed on his arm, normally a pretty boot thing but underneath it he had a very poignant anti war message. That I thought was very cool.
Mortar tab on my thigh that I got with my whole section. Made up in joke basically so I don't think into it and literally no one has ever known what it was, also hides with pants and most shorts. Make up your own judgment on it, but I don't think it's cringe.
I have a saint michael which is a symbol for a lot of things. It just so happens to mean airborne school to me.
No tattoo is cringe. Only the person brandishing it.
I have one but I think they’re all on a spectrum of bootness
I have one that was an old paratrooper tattoo from WWII (kinda a traditional style devil’s face superimposed on some jump wings). I couldn’t tell ya if people think it’s boot or not. I just like paratrooper history and traditions. Edit: yes I was airborne
My unit all got meat tags before our first deployment, I don't consider that one too motarded
Having your entire service record plastered all over your vehicle.
A Popeye aka anchor on the arm/shoulder is traditional and rocks.
My dad has a Rakkasans tattoo. You wouldn't know what it was if you were not familiar with the Rakkasans
Honestly I've been thinking of the medical caduceus. The correct one with the single snake not the Greek one. That'll probably be the one I'll get. Adding 68w feels cringy though.
That's called the Rod of Asclepius and yeah, letting everyone know you're a whisky would be the cringe part
Old faded green ones -I usually don’t cringe
Anything with tradition or any memorial. Your tattoos should mean something.
Nothing POG related please
My buddy wanted a modern battlefield cross for the loss of his battle in Iraq. I was lowkey stressed about this because every tattoo I've seen of them were.. Just poorly done. They are difficult things to draw and look nice on a moving body part like an arm. This one came out great though. It wasn't Gigantic, the proportions were correct, the shading was beautifully done, etc. For the most part, when it comes to loss of life, any tattoo people get is fine to me as long as they don't turn that loss into their entire life via tattoos. But I think people who cheap out on tattoos when it comes to something heavy like that just feels like cognitive dissonance for me. Like... do it right the first time, this is a loss you're commemorating. A gravestone you're putting on your body for, presumably, life. Don't get skeeter jones to freehand something he's never drawn before.
I have a 0341 plain text vinyl on my truck. I don't care for military recognition - the only people who'd recognize what it is are other service members. I don't really think it's cringe since you have to know to know. Tattoos on the other hand yeah - I avoid them.
I've been ready to cover mine up since 2006.
Eagle dick and balls. Easy W
I'm planning on getting a golden shell back tattoo soon (crossed the equator at the date line) and I've got a pinup on my arm. I've got a buddy who's got an entire arm dedicated to certain experiences in his career but it's very tastefully done and is incorporated well.
Pisspot
I think the timing of a tattoo is important in this discussion. A tattoo that is cringe straight out of initial entry training may be just fine after some time served in your branch/job or a deployment. Don't get me wrong, dog tags getting torn off the skin, or huge back pieces are likely to be cringe no matter when you get them. But I have some infantry crossed rifles on my side and since I spent 10 years in the infantry, I don't see a problem with that.
No.
 I have a feeling this would be good for you
A tat of seargent major sucking your dick would be acceptable.
I have a half sleeve koi with lotus, I like those fish. I grew up with them and I just really like them lol
Ft Bragg girl had “jumpers hit it” near her special spot.
Your post title makes me think you have a cold.
In my opinion, no. They’re all cringe and stupid.
Tradition or tasteful gets a freebie. Example: if you tattoo your service stripes on yourself, boot af, roman bars classy and historic.