Potential British Army servicemen and women are being rejected because of their tattoos, despite the ongoing armed forces recruiting crisis.
More than 800 prospective recruits have been declined due to the army’s rules for body art deemed “unacceptable”.
At present, rules mean that Britons with tattoos on their faces and necks or art depicting “sex acts, violence or illegal drugs” cannot be admitted.
The rules also prohibit those that “change the way you look”, and there are similar rules for bodily piercings.
But that has left the British Army without a potentially significant number of new troops.
Together with a further 400 people rejected for their body piercings, the cohort of rejectees would be enough to fill nearly two whole 650-troop regiments.
While the rules have already been relaxed, officials have called for them to be softened further due to the ongoing staffing crisis.
Critics have said the rules are to blame for the 12,800-strong shortfall in recruits, with medical selection protocols responsible for the most rejections.
Data obtained by The Sun using Freedom of Information laws found that 70,000 people were rejected because they failed medical selection.
Richard Holroyd, the boss of army recruitment firm Capita has led the charge to soften the rules and recently told MPs that BMI specifications would see some of the UK’s top athletes rejected from active service.
He said the England Rugby Team would be deemed “obese” by current standards and would “struggle to join the Army”.
Mr Holroyd added that Capita is “constantly challenging the army to re-look at their policy and processes”.
A spokesman for the British Army said it needed to maintain high standards in its ranks to ensure “we remain the highly effective fighting force the nation expects and deserves”.
They said: “Unfortunately, not everyone who aspires to a career in the army will be suitable.
“That’s why applicants can be rejected for a number of reasons, including employment and medical history, previous convictions and fitness standards.”
