Marines Section
Semper Fi™ DIY Tattoo Kit
Finally, a tattoo that says what you already screamed.
The Semper Fi™ DIY Tattoo Kit is a complete stick-and-poke tattooing kit packaged in a hinged wooden box with a brass clasp and an embossed EGA on the lid. Contents include: one sterilized needle set (5-gauge), one 15ml bottle of professional black tattoo ink, six laminated stencils, a skin transfer pencil, two alcohol prep pads, and a single-page aftercare instruction sheet that begins with the sentence 'Congratulations. You did this.'
The six laminated stencils are: Eagle, Globe, and Anchor (standard); Bulldog (sitting, friendly expression); Semper Fidelis (block serif, authorized layout); Mom (script, regulation sentiment); USMC 0311 (infantry MOS identification); and one anchor stencil that, due to a production error, reads USN in the lower right corner. The USN anchor stencil will not be corrected. We have reviewed the situation and determined that it adds character. Marines will know what they meant.
The Air Force does not have a stick-and-poke tradition because the Air Force has a tattoo policy that classifies visible ink as a potential career impediment, and they have optimized accordingly. The Marine Corps has tattoos on the back of necks and regards this as a biographical record. These are two different approaches to documentation and both are valid within their respective contexts.
“The Air Force considers visible tattoos a career liability — the Marines consider them a service record, and only one of those interpretations builds a biography.”
— SQUARED AWAY EDITORIAL BOARD
| Ink | Professional black tattoo ink, 15ml, sterile-sealed |
| Stencil Count | 6 laminated stencils (EGA, Bulldog, Semper Fi, Mom, USMC 0311, USN anchor) |
| Needle Gauge | 5-gauge sterilized needle set, single-use |
| Case | Hinged wooden box, brass clasp, embossed EGA lid |
| Included Aftercare | Single-page sheet beginning 'Congratulations. You did this.' |
| Certifications | MIL-STD-INK compliant. Not medically supervised. Not FDA-cleared. |
- This kit is not medically supervised. Squared Away Supply Co. recommends clean technique and accepts no responsibility for outcomes, infections, or regrets.
- The anchor stencil says USN. This will not be corrected. It was a production error. You may use it anyway. Marines have done more with less.
After-Action Reports
Used the EGA stencil on my left forearm. Clean line. The aftercare sheet was accurate and also philosophical. The USN anchor stencil is sitting in my wall locker as a conversation piece.
I confiscated one of these from a private and then used it myself. The bulldog stencil is the correct shape. I have no official comment on the USN anchor. Unofficially: I understand.
The USN anchor stencil is inexcusable and the aftercare sheet is the funniest thing I have read in uniform. Two stars because the needle gauge is labeled wrong. The product is otherwise correct.
