III Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Corps Bases Japan March 30, 2007 www.okinawa.usmc.mil Marine Corps order bans sleeve tattoos Cpl. Warren Peace OKINAWA MARINE STAFF CAMP FUJI — Effective April 1, Marine Corps Uniform Regulations will prohibit quarter, half and full sleeve tattoos that cover or almost cover an arm or leg above or below the elbow or knee. The change, addressed in paragraph 1004.1C of Marine Corps Order 1020.34G, was announced March 19 in Marine Ad- ministrative Message 198/07. The message covers Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James T. Conway’s intent in changing the Corps’ tattoo policy. “The eyes of America and the world con- tinually focus upon us and they expect that the Marine Corps will maintain the highest professional standards at all times,” Conway said in an all-Marine message released the Sgt. Robert Winslow holds his two-year-old daughter, Brighten, on Camp Hansen after returning from a same day as the MARADMIN. seven-month deployment to Iraq. Winslow was one of more than 200 Marines with 9th Engineer Support SEE TATTOO pg 6 Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, who returned March 23. Photo by Lance Cpl. Richard Blumenstein Oki Mar wins Corps-wide 9th ESB Marines return print journalism award from Iraq to cheers, tears Consolidated Public Affairs Office CAMP FOSTER — The staff of the Okinawa Lance Cpl. Richard Blumenstein reunion in front of the “When I first arrived she Marine was recognized recently for excellence OKINAWA MARINE STAFF battalion armory on Camp was speechless,” Winslow in print journalism as they placed 15 times in Hansen. said as his daughter stole his 12 categories in the U.S. Marine Corps Combat crowd full of smil- “I’m happy to finally be hat while he was holding her. Correspondents Association and Division of ing faces shedding back with my sons, my wife “But after a few moments, she Public Affairs Merit Awards Program. tears of joy erupted and my mother,” said Staff warmed up to me.” Marine Administrative Message 218/07, Awith applause and shouts Sgt. Ramon D. Rivera as he Two Marines returning released March 23, named the winners in of “Welcome home heroes!” hoisted his 3-year-old son home from the deployment the program, which recognizes professional as Marines with 9th Engi- Kaden onto his shoulders. found new additions to their excellence in print and broadcast journalism neer Support Battalion, 3rd During the return, Sgt. families. throughout the Corps. Marine Logistics Group, Robert Winslow’s 2-year- Gunnery Sgt. Tyrone The Okinawa Marine brought home a 1st returned from a seven-month old daughter, Brighten, was Cantey’s wife, Barbara, intro- place team award as it earned the title of best Iraq deployment March 23. initially stunned by the sight duced him to his newborn Tabloid Format Newspaper. More than 200 Marines of her father. But that feeling son, 5-month-old Nathaniel, “The judges thought the OkiMar was with 3rd MLG met anxiously quickly gave way, and she wrapped tightly in a blue leagues ahead of the competition in terms awaiting friends and family was overcome with excite- blanket. of tidiness and readability,” said Staff Sgt. members during a late-night ment. SEE RETURN PG 10 SEE AWARD PG 7 PARTING SHOT ON THE JOB ON A ROLL Anthrax vaccinations will soon be Kubasaki High School students tag Club Red claims its fi fth consecutive required for III MEF service members along with medical professionals at softball tournament title by rallying deploying to U.S. Central Command’s U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa as part past Yellow Box in a clash on Marine area of operations or Korea. of the school’s Shadow Day. Corps Air Station Futenma. INSIDE pg. 9 pg. 14 pg. 17 OKINAWA MARINE | NEWS | MARCH 30, 2007 3 HIT, Iraq | Cpl. Lowell Around the B. Williams, an infantryman with the tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel platoon, Headquarters Company, Regimental Combat Team 2, keeps an eye out for anything suspicious March 20 during a For more Marine Corps stories and photos, security patrol. Photo by Cpl. Adam Johnston Cvisit http://www.orpmarines.mil S RIDGECREST, Calif. | A CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter assigned to Marine Helicopter Squadron One, Presidential Helicopter Squadron, deploys its MJU-32/ B round flares over Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake March 13. The squadron participated in a test of new deployment tactics for the 36mm MJU- 32/B round flare. Photo by Lance Cpl. Kelly R. Chase USS BONHOMME RICHARD | Three AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 163 take off March 14. The multi-purpose amphibious assault ship and Expeditionary Strike Group 5 prepared for an upcoming deployment off the coast of southern California as part of Joint Task USS HARPERS FERRY | A Marine from Marine Wing Support Squadron 172 fires a 25mm Force Exercise. machine gun March 16. Sailors and Marines took part in a crew-served weapons shoot Photo by Petty Officer during Navy-Marine Corps integration training. Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam R. Cole 2nd Class Woody Paschall OKINAWA MARINE | OPINION & EDITORIAL | MARCH 30, 2007 5 Evolution of tattoo culture long, elaborate Lance Cpl. Juan D. Alfonso protection and as the marks of outcasts, slaves with the high professional standards expected and convicts. of all Marines. Though the popularity of tat- attoos have been a controversial sub- But in contemporary American culture, toos has increased, there is still a large part of ject in the military for quite some time. the list of motivations behind tattooing has our society that frowns upon tattoos that are TThe Marine Corps has recently made its shrunk. The average person now gets a tattoo visible in the workplace. tattoo regulations more strict. Many tattoo because he thinks it looks cool or it shows Are you a bad person for having tattoos? enthusiasts have fought to make policies more their affiliation with an organization. One of No. I have tattoos that I take no shame in, and lenient. On the other hand, before coming to the most common tattoos among Marines is they don’t affect me professionally because conclusions about the new policy, it helps to the Marine Corps emblem. they are concealed. first know how the art originated and why Tattoos gained popularity in American But that doesn’t change the fact that they there’s a debate. culture in 1846 when the first tattoo parlor could potentially pose a problem for me in the Man has practiced the art of tattooing since opened in New York City. The parlor began a future, whether it’s finding a job or applying the Bronze Age, approximately 5,000 years tradition of only giving tattoos to service mem- for a special-duty assignment in the Marine ago, and the reasons for having tattoos has bers, normally members of the sea services. Corps. been different for each culture. But tattoos quickly became associated with Today’s employers grew up in a society that Throughout history, people from differ- criminals as gangs began to wear them as a frowned upon tattoos, but I believe the next ent cultures wore tattoos as rites of passage, sign of commitment. Soon after, convicts be- generation will be more accepting. marks of status and rank, symbols of religious gan to wear tattoos to reflect how much time Until that day comes, I guess I’ll just keep and spiritual devotion, decorations for brav- they had spent in prison. my tattoos where no one else can see them. ery, sexual lures, marks of fertility, pledges The Marine Corps takes a strong stance Alfonso is a staff member of the Okinawa of love, punishment, amulets and talismans, against tattoos and views them as inconsistent Marine newspaper. It’s important not to lose sight of our spiritual lives Navy Lt. Dean Van Brunt This is, of course, the problem. tice what you know to be real? or unhealthy people, places or If we believe that we received You may have not been raised things. If we forget our early t a “new-joins” briefing for true training for the spiritual life with any formal religious instruc- training, we may drift away from those recently arriving on and we were raised to believe cor- tion of any kind. Perhaps sociol- our core principles and beliefs. the island, I asked how rectly, should we not live out those ogy can help in this regard. One Put some thought into it. Where Amany had received formal reli- teachings? Of course we should. definition of religion is wherever are you in your spiritual life? Are gious instruction while growing “Our spirit is willing and our flesh we place most of our energy, at- you healthy in spirit? Are you up; about half raised their hands. is weak.” tention, and strength. This can fill running from God? Perhaps you The next question was: “How By this time of the year, many the role of religion or spirituality have never given your spiritual many of you of us have already forgotten any in our life. What is it that we care life a chance. Is spirituality what CHAPLAIN’S believe what you New Year’s resolutions we may about more than anything else? has been missing in your life? Go were taught?” have considered. Perhaps we What can we truly admit is the to the unit chaplain for advice. CORNER Almost all of the should re-examine our resolutions most important? Call out to the Lord. You may be same hands went for the year. Perhaps we should There are some that claim to surprised how many open doors up.