Tattoo disqualifies man for Air Force

SACRAMENTO, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Five days before a California man was scheduled to ship off to a Texas U.S. Air Force boot camp, the military changed its policy on tattoos, his father said.

George Sanchez, 19, of Sacramento, was notified he would be disqualified for service because of a tattoo on his right arm on Monday, one day before he was to leave for camp, KXTV. Sacramento, reported.

"He's devastated, crushed. He's been training on his own for the last year and now to be told he's disqualified is heartbreaking," George Sanchez Sr. said.

The younger Sanchez, who has a tattoo of his family name written in Japanese characters above the right elbow, had signed a six-year commitment with the Air Force under a delayed entry program, the news station said.

Previously, the Air Force prohibited obscene, racist or other tattoos that would detract from a professional image. The policy has been expanded to prohibit all body art on the right arm -- the saluting arm, a spokeswoman for San Antonio's Air Force Recruiting Service said.

The new policy stems from T-shirts and shorts becoming an official Air Force uniform, Air Force Chief of Public Affairs Christa D'Andrea said.

D'Andrea said the Air Force predicts the new policy will disqualify about 15 recruits per week who had signed up under the delayed entry program.

The elder Sanchez said his son is looking into ways to have the tattoo removed.

Once the tattoo is removed and the scars have healed, Sanchez may start basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.