No one mentioned tattoos which signify membership.
Many of my brothers would get tattoos upon graduation from a particular school: jump wings or a date and motto.
I met an SAS type in Saudi who had many, many "school" tattooes and I have no doubt he earned every one of them.
Since Marines couldn't wear Ranger patches on their uniform, some of those who graduated from Ranger school would get the Ranger patch tattooed on their shoulder.
A few of my Mexican brothers had religious tattoos, which I particularly liked, but the knife double-piercing the flesh with "Death Before Dishonor", and the ace of spades seemed most prevalent amongst Marines of that era.
If I decided to get a tattoo in my old age, I would look hard at the tattooes of the Pacific Islanders.
My all-time favorite:
A grinning skull wearing a gold crown, superimposed over a red sunburst, all above the number 77; but I don't belong to that organization.
Many of my brothers would get tattoos upon graduation from a particular school: jump wings or a date and motto.
I met an SAS type in Saudi who had many, many "school" tattooes and I have no doubt he earned every one of them.
Since Marines couldn't wear Ranger patches on their uniform, some of those who graduated from Ranger school would get the Ranger patch tattooed on their shoulder.
A few of my Mexican brothers had religious tattoos, which I particularly liked, but the knife double-piercing the flesh with "Death Before Dishonor", and the ace of spades seemed most prevalent amongst Marines of that era.
If I decided to get a tattoo in my old age, I would look hard at the tattooes of the Pacific Islanders.
My all-time favorite:
A grinning skull wearing a gold crown, superimposed over a red sunburst, all above the number 77; but I don't belong to that organization.