that sergeant was definitely out of line, threatening someone like that. your friend could have brought the issue to someone of higher rank, or at worst the court.
though of course there are drawbacks to pissing off your superior officer, probably would have to ask for a transfer after that lol.
You can't have tattoos in visible locations (the actual regulations are a bit more specific but thats the jist). That also doesn't qualify as a "threat."
Anything negative that you say you'll do to someone is a threat, with or without the right of following it through. Furthermore, if the soldier refused, the sergeant wouldn't have the right to carve it out himself, since a soldier can quit the army at any time. It's really simple -- once you quit, he no longer has any power over you.
You cant quit. ever. You can not re-enlist, but if you want to quit you're gonna have to seriously fuck some shit up, and even then you'll just end up in military prison for like 15 years.
The military owns you for however long you said they do ... you're a piece of property, not a person.
You can't have tattoos in visible locations (the actual regulations are a bit more specific but thats the jist). That also doesn't qualify as a "threat."
That, and it was a "gang-affiliated" tattoo. 
He's in a gang? Fucker shouldn't be let in. I'm pissed that the military is taking anyone and everyone. They even accept felons now. Fuck that. I saw History Channel's Gangland episode on military gang members that recruit within and then go home to train gang bangers. Those fuckers should be shot. If I ever saw some stupid ass dick-weed recruiting for a gang in the military (and I was in and of rank) I would have the fucker shot on the spot. Fuck consequences, it's about keeping the military strong, gang members have NO place in the military.
