IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 4 February 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150018888 THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE: 1. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). 2. Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any). THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant requests the removal from his official military personnel file (OMPF) of all the documentation related to his tattoo. 2. The applicant states he underwent a tattoo removal when the new tattoo policy came out. His tattoo had been removed and he would like to have the tattoo memorandum and photograph removed from his OMPF. His tattoo removal took place at Martin Army Community Hospital. A simple check of his medical record would show that it has been removed. 3. The applicant provides a tattoo memorandum with attached photograph. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant is an active duty Regular Army noncommissioned officer serving in the rank/grade of staff sergeant/E-6 at Fort Benning, Ga. 2. He provides and his record contains a signed memorandum from him, dated 4 June 2014, to the Commander, 75th Regiment Special Troops Battalion, Fort Benning GA, wherein he stated, in part, that he self-identified having one tattoo located below his elbow on his arm. He also stated that he understood he was prohibited from obtaining any new tattoos that were prohibited under the provisions of Army Regulation 670-1(Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia) and that he understood this memorandum would be posted in his military record. Enclosed with the memorandum was a photograph which depicted the tattoo below his elbow on his arm. 3. This tattoo memorandum with the photograph is filed in the administrative folder of his OMPF. 4. Army Regulation 670-1, dated 10 April 2015, paragraph 3-3, updated the Army policy on tattoos. It states, in part: a. Extremist, indecent, sexist, and racist tattoos are still prohibited anywhere on a Soldier's body. Tattoos, regardless of the subject matter, are prohibited on the head, face, neck (above the t-shirt neckline), wrists, and hands. Commanders will perform an annual check for new tattoos above the neckline, wrist, and hands, and a simultaneous check for extremist and other prohibited tattoos and the Soldier will be dealt with in accordance with this regulation. b. Accession recruiting battalion commanders (O-5 and above) will make initial entry determinations for new accessions that tattoos comply with the policy for active Army and U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers. Determinations are required when it is reported that a tattoo may be prohibited. Exceptions to policy (ETP) for accessing applicants not meeting the tattoo criteria must be approved by the Director of Military Personnel Management (DMPM), Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1. Such exceptions must be documented and uploaded into the Soldier's Army Military Human Resource Record (AMHRR) upon accession into the Army. 5. Army Regulation 600-8-104 (AMHRR Management) provides the principles of support, standards of service, policies, tasks, rules, and steps governing all work required to support maintaining the OMPF. Chapter 2 provides detailed guidance and instructions with regard to the initiation, composition, maintenance, changing, access to, and transfer of the OMPF. Table B-1 (Authorized documents), updated on 4 May 2015, shows that the tattoo memorandum with photographs is no longer filed as a stand-alone document in a Soldier's OMPF. The only tattoo memorandum with photographs that will be filed in the administrative folder of the OMPF is one with an ETP memorandum from the DMPM. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The evidence of record confirms that the applicant's OMPF contains a tattoo memorandum with photograph. As of May 2015, tattoo memorandums with photographs are no longer authorized for filing in a Soldier's OMPF unless they are accompanied by an ETP memorandum from the DMPM. Therefore, it would be appropriate to remove the tattoo memorandum, dated 4 June 2014, from the administrative folder of the applicant's OMPF. BOARD VOTE: ____X___ ____X___ ____X___ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by: * removing the tattoo memorandum with photograph, dated 4 June 2014, from his OMPF * ensuring the copies of the tattoo memorandum with photograph he submitted with his application are not filed in his OMPF _______ _ _X_____ ___ CHAIRPERSON I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150018888 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150018888 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1