Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Small arrows, birds and stars adorn the tops of the soldier’s hands and fingers.

Etched into her skin from the wrists up to her nail beds, the markings are no ordinary tattoos, but symbols of traditional “tatau” found among the people of Samoa.

Looking down at the body art, Army Capt. Isis Sake, 38, is reminded of the significance that each of the representations holds in her culture. After receiving approval, Sake’s tatau now also serve as a symbol of her service’s acceptance of her traditional heritage.

“One of the things that was a common question by other senior leaders was, ‘Wait, that’s not already approved?’” she said. “This is such a huge part of the Samoan culture. So, it’s just educating and then really sharing the symbolism behind it.”

In February, the Samoan officer became the first soldier to receive Army approval to possess such tattoos on her hands, a mark of recognition of the diverse communities that comprise the force and carry a calling for service.

Originally from Apia, Samoa — Sake moved to the United States with her family as a child. Following in the footsteps of her older sisters, she enlisted in the Army in 2008, quickly moving up the ranks before commissioning in June 2019.

Now an operations officer in support of the Army’s office of the deputy chief of staff for personnel, Sake emphasized the many similarities between Army service and Samoan culture: Loyalty, duty, respect and courage.

Seeking to visualize that commitment to selfless service, and inspired by a reverence for her culture, in 2017 Sake obtained the Samoan tatau for women — known as “malu” — on her legs before adding the traditional tattoos to her hands in 2022.