On top of his career in the U.S. Army and getting new tattoos, he also manages his Drill SGT Fitness digital brand that has over one million TikTok followers. (Designed by Stripes Staff)
““Almost all of my tattoos are cover-ups. I started getting tattoos when I was 18, when I didn’t really know anything about the tattoo world. Now that I’m older and the industry has grown so much, I had to get new ink by artists who have amazing abilities and talent.””
— Master Sgt. Adam Black, aka Drill SGT Fitness
As I sat down to talk tattoos with Master Sgt. Adam Black, I knew I was in for a good time. He made jokes. He reviewed the questions beforehand; he wasn’t nervous and playfully noted that we had to skip question one on the questionnaire because “all of my props (that we would use in the photoshoot) are in transit.” He is in the middle of a PCS, so I appreciated him taking the time to chat.
On top of his career in the U.S. Army, he also manages his Drill SGT Fitness digital brand that has over one million TikTok followers, in addition to being a dad and PCS’ing in the middle of a government shutdown.
Despite having tattoo sleeves on both arms and several large tattoos on his legs, somehow he claims that he only has five tattoos. With that response, I knew that my questions needed to get more specific.
“So how many tattoo sessions have you had,” I inquired.
“Over 20,” he replied. That makes much more sense.
Family means a lot to Black, and that is reflected in his tattoos. (Toygar Ayla)
Black has been tattooed in several countries, including Germany. He commented that in Germany, he has actually covered a lot of the tattoos that he originally got in the States. When speaking about a tattoo he got here in Germany, he stated, “…I loved it. I love the detail. I loved the atmosphere (of the studio), so, I’ve just been going back.”
He also noted some differences (he perceived) between here and the States in terms of tattoo culture. “I think it’s better here to be honest.”
In the States, Black felt that many, not all, tattoo artists act as if the customer is “bothering them.” He continued, “Whereas the experience I’ve had here is that they (the artists) pitch a lot of ideas, work with you. They take what your vision was or what you had in mind and what their artistic ability is and there is a nice medium. It’s not a ‘take it or leave it’ kind of situation. They make you feel very welcome….It’s just overall a better experience.”
Black has a horror sleeve featuring characters from his and his son’s favorite films and video games from the genre. (Adam Black)
He went on to talk about how the artists kept reaching out, not only before the sessions with directions and parking information (because Germany does not always guarantee a place to park), but also days and weeks after the completed tattoo session to check in with care instructions and the healing process.
Family means a lot to Black, and that is reflected in his tattoos. Black grew up watching horror movies with his father, a tradition that he has since gone on to share with his son. He has a horror sleeve featuring characters from his and his son’s favorite films and video games from the genre. He has a tattoo on his chest symbolizing his father and brother.
“The Spartan helmet on my chest is a tribute to my father and brother. We were all born on the 14th day of different months, and we all got a special tattoo to symbolize that bond between us three.”
— Adam Black
Black’s pop culture tattoos also connect him with his memories and his friends. He talks about reading “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” series and watching the movies with his friends back in high school. Today, a giant, gorgeous, colorful Gandalf tattoo covers his leg. He comments that, “Getting pop culture tattoos…is just a way for all of us to have something to remember that moment by….”
Before letting Black go, I ask him for a little more detail about his covered tattoos. It turns out he covered his very first tattoo that he got when he was 16. A former musician, Black had adorned his leg with a drumming tattoo that years of Army life, wear-and-tear, and boot-wearing had faded. It made me nostalgic for my first tattoo that I got when I was 18, also a music tattoo. I haven’t covered that first tattoo myself, but have learned a lot more about getting tattooed and tattoo culture since then.
Find Drill Sgt Fitness
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