There's no specific protocol for what happens to dog tags after leaving the service, whether by discharge or death. Former service members do not have to return them to the military, but
they also can choose whether or not to keep them
. For the ones of fallen soldiers, there may or may not be a choice in what happens.
- Write on a piece of paper where you found the tags, the date you found the tags, your full name and contact information.
- Place the letter and dog tags into an envelope.
- Seal the envelope and address it to the Secretary of Defense.
The U.S. Army changed regulations on July 6, 1916, so that all soldiers were issued two tags:
one to stay with the body and the other to go to the person in charge of the burial for record-keeping purposes
.
Civilians can legally wear dog tags
. Yet, attempting to use the dog tags for personal gain may be considered an act of stolen valor, which is a punishable offense. Some veterans and active military members may consider it disrespectful, while others do not care.
But despite these advancements,
dog tags are still issued to service members today
. They're a reminder of America's efforts to honor all those who have served — especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Generally,
each soldier is allotted two dog tags
. One of them is worn at the neck as a chain and the other is kept inside the shoes of the soldier.
123-45-6789. Blood Type. A POS.
Religious Preference
. PROTESTANT.
Today's identification tags identify vital information about the wearer:
name, Social Security number, blood type and religious preference
. During World War II there were only three religious categories that could be put on dog tags: P for Protestant, C for Catholic and H for Hebrew (Jewish).
(1) Soldiers will wear ID tags at all times when in a field environment, while traveling in aircraft, and when outside the continental United States. (2)
Personnel will wear ID tags around the neck, except when safety considerations apply
(such as during physical training).
Because dog tags are issued to military members for identification purposes only,
there is no provision for getting replacement dog tags for former service members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard
.
They were metal and rectangular, with a notch in a lower corner. The soldier's information was imprinted on the metal tag. That notch was used
to align the metal plate on the machine that embossed the information
. The notch became the center of U.S. military troops' first myth around their dog tags.
Military dog tag information includes
the wearer's name, blood type, social security number (SSN), and religious preference
. Previously, for “religious preference”, soldiers could only put “Protestant”, “Catholic”, “Hebrew”.
Dog Tags are ideal for Police Officers
, SWAT Teams, Firefighters, Paramedics, EMTs, Search and Rescue, Disaster Response Teams, Public Works, and other trained professionals.
Wearing a dog tag for men is a great way to project personal style and confidence
. Dog tags for men by definition state who you are, where you come from and what you stand for. That can be interpreted any way you like. Perhaps you want an important date or name engraved on your dog tag.
Targeting civilians, torturing prisoners of war and stealing dog tags are all
illegal actions that have been used in games without penalty
.
Does the military still use flamethrowers?
Flamethrowers have not been in the U.S. arsenal since 1978, when the Department of Defense unilaterally stopped using them
— the last American infantry flamethrower was the Vietnam-era M9-7. They have been deemed of questionable effectiveness in modern combat.
Bright RED Dog Tags
to help signal to emergency personnel that you have drug Allergies or Medical Conditions
.
Check the order of the information on the dog tag. If your dog tag is an authentic U.S. military dog tag, the information should be in the following order:
last name, first name, middle initial, Social Security number, blood type, religion
.
The tags included the name and address of his wife below his information.
The small “A” in the upper left corner denotes his blood type
; the small “M” below that his gas mask size (medium).
Can civilians salute military?
“
Civilian personnel, to include civilian guards, are not required to render the hand salute to military personnel or other civilian personnel
. “Salutes are not required to be rendered or returned when the senior or subordinate, or both are in civilian attire.”
How do I get a DoD number?
This number can
usually be found on the back of your Common Access Card
. If it's not listed there, log into DoD ID Card Office Online [osd.mil] and locate it under the “My Profile” section. Save your DoD ID Number to your profiles.
Those that were discarded years ago are frequently unearthed through the use of a metal detector. Regardless of its condition,
a buried, corroded or damaged dog license tag has value to a collector, especially if it is a rare specimen
.
