U.S. soldiers and family members joining German citizens in getting tattooed at the Grafenwoehr Tattoo Expo, in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Sunday, April 8, 2019. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
U.S. soldiers and family members joining German citizens in getting tattooed at the Grafenwoehr Tattoo Expo, in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Sunday, April 8, 2019. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
Spc. Alexander Schirmers, a medic with the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment, waits for his tattoo to finish at the Grafenwoehr Tattoo Expo, in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Sunday, April 8, 2019. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
U.S. soldiers getting tattoed at the Grafenwoehr Tattoo Expo, in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Sunday, April 8, 2019. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
A cowboy-themed tattoo sleeve being worked on at the Grafenwoehr Tattoo Expo, in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Sunday, April 8, 2019. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
A soldier's Native American-themed tattoo at the Grafenwoehr Tattoo Expo, in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Sunday, April 8, 2019. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
Lisa South, a tattoo artist, works on Pvt. Rodawald Gage's "cowboys and Indians" themed tattoos at the Grafenwoehr Tattoo Expo, in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Sunday, April 8, 2019. Gage is an infantryman with the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
Spc. Erick Lorduy, a radio operator with the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment, gets an owl tattooed on his ribs at the Grafenwoehr Tattoo Expo, in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Sunday, April 8, 2019. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
Spc. Troy Meyer, a mechanic with the 64th Military Police Company, plays on his phone to distract himself as he gets a mountain scene tattooed on his ribs at the Grafenwoehr Tattoo Expo, in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Sunday, April 8, 2019. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
Spc. Emilio Lopez, an infantryman with the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment, gets a band logo tattooed on his calf at the Grafenwoehr Tattoo Expo, in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Sunday, April 8, 2019. (Martin Egnash/Stars and Stripes)
GRAFENWOEHR, Germany – Soldiers are walking around base with plastic wrap taped around their arms, legs and ribs this week, after more than 100 U.S. servicemembers and workers got tattooed this weekend at the Grafenwoehr Tattoo Expo.
The convention took place in the town of Grafenwoehr, within walking distance of the Army’s training base in Bavaria.
This is the second annual tattoo expo and it is expected to continue next year.
Soldiers there were seen getting all sorts of tattoos, from pop culture references and traditional designs to unit logos and mementos from their time in Germany.
Spc. Troy Meyer, a mechanic with the 64th Military Police Company, got a mountain scene tattooed on his ribs, to remind him of his home back in the Rocky Mountains.
“I wanted to get it, so I would always have something to remind me of where I’m from,” Meyer said.
There was also live entertainment, music and women with body paint walking around, greeting some of the soldiers as they struggled not to grimace while getting tattooed.
Although the town is predominantly inhabited by Germans, U.S. soldiers won the many of the tattoo contests held at the convention.
egnash.martin@stripes.com Twitter: @Marty_Stripes
