Tattoo-loving soldiers in the U.S. Army will soon be able to get inked on their arms and legs thanks to changing rules, officials announced Wednesday. Ink may extend all the way to the wrist once the rules go into effect. Regulations about the size and number of tattoos are also set to be dropped, according to Sergeant Major of the Army Dan Dailey. 'As long as it's not visible in the Army uniform…that's the spirit of what we went after,' Dailey told the Army Times. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno announced policy change at the Association of the United States Army conference in Huntsville, Alabama. Inked: Tattoo-loving soldiers in the U.S. Army will soon be able to get inked on their arms and legs thanks to changing rules, officials announced Wednesday . An Army spokeswoman said they will go into effect in the 'very near future.' The changes came as a result of feedback from soldiers. But it wasn't so long ago that the Army made a much different announcement concerning its tattoo policy. Highly unpopular regulations that went into effect in March 2014 banned tattoos below the knee or elbow. Soldiers who already had the ink were grandfathered in. Under those regulations, any soldier with tattoos was barred from seeking a promotion to warrant officer or commissioning as an officer. Tattoos have long been a part of military culture, but as they have become more popular, and more prominently displayed on the body, the various branches have been regulating them in to try to maintain a professional look. 'Society is changing its view of tattoos and we have to change along with that,' Odierno said. 'It makes sense. Soldiers have grown up in an era when tattoos are much more acceptable and we have to change along with that.' New rules: Ink may extend all the way to the wrist once the rules go into effect. Regulations about the size and number of tattoos are also set to be dropped, according to Sergeant Major of the Army Dan Dailey .
The new rules come barely a year after deeply unpopular restrictions enacted last March burned many inked soldiers .
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno said the changes are being made in response to soldier feedback .
The unpopular old rules banned tats below the knee or elbows and put limits on the size and number of tattoos, which will no longer be the case .