Army Tattoos Meaning, Design & Ideas

Army tattoos are often a source of pride for people both inside and outside of the military branch. There are now hundreds of different army tattoo designs to choose from, so if you are interested in getting one of these meaningful tats, then chances are you will be able to find one that will both give you pride and look good on your skin. On this page, we will take a look at a little bit of the history of army tattoos and some ideas for you to sift through.

Emblems and symbols of army service are sacred to those who have dedicated their lives to performing that service. Considering that, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that many army tattoos are these emblems and symbols, or they are included in larger army designs. Of course, it is important to know exactly what each one of these images represents before you get it tattooed on your skin.

The army specifically refers to soldiers whose service is conducted on land, rather than air or sea like the Air Force or Navy Reserves. This is why you will often see the soldiers included in army tattoos trudging along in the mud to bring focus to their work on the land. This can even be accomplished by simply adding mud to the face of a soldier or by mudding up a helmet or other army symbol.

The army, American, Canadian, British, or otherwise, is an invaluable force that each country relies heavily upon to protect its individual rights and freedoms from tyranny. This is why the majority of army tattoos worn by military and non-military people will represent protection. It can mean that the owner of the tattoo takes pride in the fact that they protect those around them, or it could mean that the owner is honoring those who have protected their country.

Many members of the army receive tattoos to commemorate their service or comrades who have been lost and passed on. This type of design can come in many forms, so it totally depends on the person getting the tat and how much skin they want to ink up. Regardless of the design, though, you can be sure that these types of army tattoos are extremely meaningful to their owners and they take a lot of pride in having them.

Depending on the country, the national flag is most often included in the design to convey one’s pride in that nation. It often takes the place of the background with additional symbols in the center or overlapping the flag image. In simpler designs, the flag is a flat rectangle, but some people take it a step further by having it “waving” on their skin. The flag can also work quite well as a sleeve tattoo.

Various branches of the army such as artillery, infantry, and various brigades are often specified within the design, generally simply by adding “Infantry”, etc. This is an easy way for people to tell their stories through a little bit of text, adding meaning at the same time. The text itself should not take over these army tattoos, though, so it is often smaller and in a simple font. Of course, if the point of the tattoo is to represent your branch then you might want to make that text large and in charge.

In Canada, the Emblem of Canadian Forces crest is sometimes included, as a representation of the Commonwealth. More generally, maple leaves are added to images of weaponry, dog tags, or dates of service. You can be sure that if you see any maple leaves in a tattoo and there is anything military related in it, the person is either a military vet themselves or they have friends or relatives in the service.

The British Army unofficially uses the emblem of a crowned golden lion standing on top of a crown backed by two crossing sabers on a red field. More generally, the Union Jack is used. The choice will come down to the amount of detail you want in your army tattoo and your opinion of which one you think will look better in tattoo form. You can customize both images however you want them, but it’s important to make sure that the edits are respectful considering what the subject matter is.

In the United States, bald eagles and stars and stripes personify the American and are often accompanied by rifles or other weaponry, the initials of their platoon or squadron, or other insignia. Again, it is very easy to modify these army tattoos to make them your own. If you want to make sure that everyone knows that it is an American army tattoo, then the bald eagle or stars and stripes can do the trick.

If you want people to know the specific platoon you were in, then you can include words and symbols that represent that platoon. The key is to make the design as “you” as possible without overdoing it.

The U.S. Army icon is also frequently used, featuring a black square with a white star as well as a banner that reads “U.S. Army”, traced in gold. This is a great choice for people looking for a smaller army tattoo or a small symbol to add to a larger design. It can work just as well as a shoulder tattoo as it does a wrist tat, so you definitely have more flexibility with the Army icon than you do with a lot of other Army tattoos.

The phrase “Death Before Dishonor” is often seen as part of army tattoos, conveying an extreme dedication to their country and service. If you see someone with this phrase included in their army tattoo, you can be sure that they take a whole lot of pride in their military service. Chances are they have been on multiple tours and have probably decided to dedicate their lives to that service. Again, the text should be simple to show that you take pride in the words but they aren’t meant to bring more attention to yourself.

Camouflage is also common to army designs, regardless of nationality along with “Army” to very simply illustrate army service in a more general way. The camouflage alone can tell outsiders that you are either a proud military man or woman or that you come from a proud military family. In fact, some people will go all out with a camouflage sleeve and won’t include any of the other symbols mentioned above. The colors look great on the skin and are meaningful without being too flashy.

If you are planning on getting an army tattoo, you’ll want to check out multiple designs of what you end up settling on and figure out the perfect place to put it. That can actually be a tough mission for some people since there are so many great army tattoo options to choose from.

Most people will want to think about the images or text that means the most to them and then find a way to make it work as a cohesive design. Most tattoo artists will be able to help you design your tat and find the perfect place to put it, or you can tell them where you want it and they can help you pick out symbols and text that work in that area.

What’s really great about army tattoos when compared to other designs is that people very seldom regret their choice to get one. The fact is that each army tattoo is extremely meaningful to its owner and they usually gain in meaning as the years go by. Some people get them to show their pride in the time they have spent in the service, while others will get them to honor their families and friends. Regardless of the reason, you can be pretty confident that whatever army tattoo you choose to get will mean a lot to you for years to come.

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