In addition to the shape, body structure and other common features, another way to identify a soldier is the tattoos on his body.
Although not everyone has tattoos, many soldiers have one or more on their bodies. These tattoos are more commonly referred to as military tattoos.
Although no one knows exactly when these symbols appeared, historical evidence shows that they are as old as the idea of the armed forces and war itself.
However, in those distant times, they did not have much significance, but were mandatory for every soldier so that they could be easily identified.
This has since changed, and a soldier doesn't have to have one, but most soldiers still prefer to have them.
How did military themes enter the history of tattooing?
According to historical sources, body art has long been used by soldiers around the globe. Some medieval authors claim: the Slavs before the Baptism of Russia made tattoos. There is similar evidence about the Yenisei Kyrgyz: travelers from the Celestial Empire described in detail the appearance of the brave Siberians. With the Indians, military tattoos and their meaning were clearly defined. The tattoo signified initiation, tribal affiliation and participation in battles. It also carried a sacred meaning, protecting against injury, death and defeat in any battle with the enemy. Today similar tattoos are present only at the representatives of the tribes closed from a civilization, but it is possible to look impressive on the expression of military tattoos on the photos made in XIX century by the ethnographers.
Military tattoos - photo
During the Late Middle Ages many geographical discoveries were made and the borders of the world were expanded. European sailors who swore allegiance to a nation and traveled the oceans were interested in such a form of protection. Virtually everyone who came into contact with Polynesian, Indian tribes, Papuans, was imbued with mythology and made military tattoos for men. Researchers believe that the measure was forced and allowed the Europeans to establish themselves in a positive way, to fit into the local community.
By and large, military and army tattoos came to Europe, and from there to Russia, thanks to sailors. Harsh conditions and dependence on the elements led them to believe in fate and seek protection from mythological creatures. Over time, each group of troops came up with symbols to distinguish those in their group. In the second half of the twentieth century, tattoos took on a special meaning: in the era of large-scale wars and the use of powerful weapons that destroy everything around them, additional identification signs were needed.
Did you know? During the Soviet campaign in Afghanistan, soldiers, following the example of the Americans, began to be stamped with a blood type. Sketches of military tattoos related to the Airborne Troops became popular. Officers who have served here refer to themselves as an elite group. Everyone seeks to leave the memory of years of service on the body.
Widespread in the former Soviet Union army tattoos by type of troops are classified quite clearly. Among those who have served and especially participants in real military operations, their bearers inspire respect. Those who did not serve in the army should not apply them. If exposed, some of them can even be aggressive, punishing for disrespecting those who risked their lives in the war.
Are tattoos grounds for exemption from the army?
The presence of images on the body is not a reason for not taking a young man into the army ranks. However, the practice sometimes still allows for exceptions: in some individual cases, young people with tattoos were exempted from military service, but we will talk about this a little later.
In the course of draft measures, each young man is examined by highly specialized specialists, which also includes a psychotherapist. Talking to this particular doctor is of particular importance in evaluating the health of those guys who have tattoos on their bodies, as in psychiatry it is believed that any voluntary drawings on the body may be indicative of the presence of mental abnormalities in a person. After talking with the recruit, the psychiatrist draws certain conclusions about the young man's sanity or the presence of the opposite phenomenon. The slightest suspicion can become a reason for referring a young man to a psychoneurological dispensary for further examination. If the disorder is confirmed, the citizen is exempted from the draft and subsequently placed on the register.
In general, believing that tattoos on the body will help get rid of military service is foolish. After all, 98.5% of draftees are recognized as absolutely healthy people after being examined by a psychiatrist. If you have a mental illness, it is unlikely that you can get away with it, but as for the simulation, which is resorted to by especially desperate young men, it may not be good for your future life. Despite the professionalism of the doctors working in the psychoneurological dispensary, it can happen that the young man will still get his way. Of course, such a guy will avoid the draft, but in return nothing good can come of it: he will be immediately placed on the register, which will entail a lot of trouble: when applying for a job, when getting a driver's license or a permit for keeping weapons, when getting a visa and going abroad, etc. In addition, if the fact of faking becomes obvious the young man will have a criminal responsibility that provides for a large fine and imprisonment up to two years.
NAVY
Typically, Navy tattoos are applied to the shoulder or hand. They include an image of:
- The St. Andrew's flag or the naval flag of the Soviet Union, depending on the period of service.
- Abbreviations indicating the specific fleet: Baltic, Black Sea, Northern Fleet. Sailors and officers of the Northern Fleet complement the inscription with the image of a polar bear.
- Shark, anchor, wind rose, compass, gulls, sailboat and other marine paraphernalia. Many of them have a protective function or symbolize fearlessness.
Also, the composition of the Navy tattoo can be complemented by a specific ship, a cruiser, on which the years of his youth were spent.
Photos of Navy tattoos
Marines.
The most common variant of the Marine Corps tattoo is the anchor, passed down from the insignia. It is complemented by the blood group, unit number and other important data. Identify the infantryman is also able to skull in a black beret. Most of the tattoos of the Marines are plot related to animals, which symbolize the power, activity, the ability to adapt to difficult conditions and survive under any circumstances. Popular choices include:
- panther;
- wolf:
- tiger;
- bear;
- shark.
The images are made against the background of an unfolded parachute. Death without suffering, good health, longevity on the tattoos of the Russian Marines is often represented by a bat. Sketches with dolphins are also in demand. This is a symbol of ingenuity, new life, the ability to feel great in the water element.
Photo of the Marine Corps tattoo
Elite troops and tattoos
The expression "elite troops" on the ears of many, but not everyone knows why these or those military units have such a name and what in general includes them.
In fact, everything is very simple. The word combination is widely used among the people, but it is not fixed at the legislative level. There are no officially approved criteria for evaluation, by which it would be possible to determine the elite of these or other military formations. Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that the elite troops are those that have the maximum combat effectiveness and are in full combat readiness every minute. These include the Special Forces, Special Forces of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Airborne Forces, Navy, Marines, Strategic Missile Forces, Federal Guard Service, and Aerospace Forces.
If there are tattoos on the body and especially on the exposed parts of the body, young people are not accepted into these units. As a rule, they find an alternative and are enrolled in those troops that do not have strict requirements for conscripts, but they are not released from the army, in the absence of reasons for deferment or recognition of unfitness.
Military Intelligence
As in other cases, military intelligence tattoos are applied after the end of service, when the need to hide their belonging to a secret group of troops disappears. Here, the most common option is considered a bat, which is applied to the back or chest, that is, hidden under clothing areas. This mammal represents noiselessness, the ability to remain active in the dark, elusiveness, and agility. Its wings can be spread or folded. The stylistics used in military intelligence tattoos are uncommonly diverse. The images can be both flat and volumetric, they are performed in the technique of newscool, dotwork, blackwork, realism.
Photos of military intelligence tattoos
Special Forces GRU
The military, belonging to a special intelligence unit in the Ministry of Defense, like to indicate the dates of service, place, squad number. As in many other secret forces, GRU Special Forces tattoo choose the image of a bat, but it is applied on the forearm. Figure is complemented by an open parachute, a target. Such tattoos of GRU special forces can use the most diverse stylistics, they often refer to the popular comic books about Batman - a good, fast, discreet helper of all, with whom unjustly acted.
Also popular among the military in this category are:
- Skull wearing a beret in front of a parachute. The skull, known in iconography as Adam's head, is a symbol of death and glory, rebirth, fearlessness, and willingness to sacrifice himself for his countrymen.
- Roaring Tiger. A symbol of readiness to fight back the enemy, of awesome power and wisdom at the same time.
- Flying helicopter. Drawing with commandos landing occupies the forearm and scapula. It is often a composition with a complete story. He chooses those who have undergone baptism of fire in hot spots.
GRU special forces tattoos photo
AIRBORNE TROOPS
Paratroopers are known to all Russians due to their brightness and noisiness. Their main insignia is a striped vest, a blue beret and a tattoo of the airborne troops. In carrying out their duties, they had to land in the most dangerous areas and immediately engage in combat, so this group of troops took the strongest, most fearless, invulnerable guys. In memory of the combat past after service, almost all of them do VDV tattoo on the shoulder or completely nail the sleeve. Tattoos are narrowly specific and include an image:
- parachute;
- aircraft;
- military unit number;
- blood type and rhesus factor.
In addition, Airborne tattoos on the shoulder are complemented by highly specialized inscriptions, the most popular options: "No one but us" and "For the Airborne Troops." As a rule, people who do not belong to the army's elite community do not order such body art. Ex-military men come to the tattooists who want to tweak the outline of the pictures, which have blurred over time, or to refine the composition. Other versions of the Airborne tattoo may include a skull in a beret against a background of fire, a tiger, a wolf, other strong and always ready to attack animals.
Army tattoos - photo
Tattoos on the face and service
Tattoos in general are not a barrier to military service, and even if we are talking about images that are localized on exposed areas of the body, including the face. Of course, the situation changes radically when these pictures are aggressive, sexual or obscene, when they contain nationalist or racist ideas, when they act as occult symbols or have obscene words in them - all these are good reasons for not taking a young man into the army. As a rule, instead of the army the owners of such tattoos will be registered at the psycho-neurological clinic, as well as further problems related to this event: when applying for a job and getting a driver's license, when applying for a visa and when going abroad.
However, if a young man with a tattoo on his face will still get into the armed forces, the likelihood that he will become an object of ridicule among older servicemen is quite high. It is especially difficult for such young men at the initial stage. Therefore, before you decide to perform a tattoo on one of his part of the body, it is recommended to think twice: is it worth doing such an act and whether you need the constant attention of the team, most of whom will certainly accept such decorations with irony and sarcasm.
AFSN .
By a closed category include a tattoo of the Strategic Rocket Forces - missile forces special purpose. As in the case of the intelligence, the most widespread in this narrow milieu of distribution received analog strip, which captures the rocket booster. Not only the nuclear reactor gives it strength, but also the symbolic wings. Often the image is complemented by the phrase: "Only silence after us. It can be complemented by a two-headed eagle with arrows, a howling wolf, a bear holding a weapon. They demonstrate great strength and responsibility for the preservation of peace in the world. The technique of execution is chosen by the former military man himself. If twenty years ago it was an uncomplicated flat picture, notable for its high level of performance, today such military tattoos can become a real masterpiece.
Photos of the Strategic Rocket Forces tattoos
Reviews
Dear readers, you can leave your review on whether they take in the army with tattoos on the face and body in the comments, your opinion will be useful to other users of the site!
Roman
Yes, at least 500 tattoos, all the same in the army will be taken. Now the VVK is treating this loyally. The main thing that one of the tattoos was not a swear word, for example, on the forehead. With such an adornment, of course, the "slope" is ensured, but the price will not be fun at all.
Eugene
The elite troops with tattoos definitely do not take - it's true. I could have served in the same Airborne Forces for my health, but since I have tattoos, I was sent to other troops. Also, as far as I know, guys with tattoos have no place in the intelligence service either, but it's clear enough - special signs.
