Are military dog tags embossed or debossed?

United States military issued dog tags are imprinted with one of two types of letters: embossed or debossed, both of which are valid since both types of machines are still used depending on the base. However, embossed is far more common.

What is engraved on military dog tags?

A common military dog tag contains the details of the soldier like first name, last name and the soldier's military ID number so that it can act as an identity token for the soldiers.

What's normally on military 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”. However, today, there is an option for “None”—no religious preference as well.

Are all military dog tags the same?

Wearing of the tag is required at all times by soldiers in the field. In the U.S., two identical tags are issued. One is worn on a long chain around the neck; the second on a much smaller chain attached to the first chain.

How can you tell if dog tags are real?

Check the serial number. If your dog tag has a serial number and it dates from after 1969, it is probably fake. The Army switched to Social Security numbers after 1969. From 1967 to 1969 a dog tag might have had a serial number, a Social Security number or both.

How to Darken Letters on Debossed Dog Tags

How do I find out who owns military dog tags?

Visit the National Archives website in order to complete a form requesting an individual's service record. The National Archives website states that a service member or her next of kin can use dog tags in order to obtain the service record.

What do Navy dog tags look like?

The identification tag for officers and enlisted men of the Navy consists of an oval plate of monel metal, 1.25 by 1.50 inches, perforated at one end and suspended from the neck by a monel wire incased in a cotton sleeve. The tag has on one side the etched fingerprint of the right index finger.

Why do soldiers wear 2 dog tags?

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.

Is it disrespectful to wear dog tags?

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.

What does T43 mean on dog tag?

Dog Tags from WWII up until the Korean war included the year that a tetanus toxid vaccination shot was administered, in the format of T## where the ## represents the year i.e. T43. The subsequent vaccination booster shot usually followed one year later at which point it would also be added to the tag.

Does the military still issue dog tags?

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.

Do soldiers keep their dog tags?

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.

Does the Navy still issue dog tags?

The U.S. Navy no longer issues Dog Tags to its sailors, however you can still order replica mil-spec tags as replacements from us. Read more about the history of US Navy Dogtags.

Is taking dog tags a war crime?

Targeting civilians, torturing prisoners of war and stealing dog tags are all illegal actions that have been used in games without penalty.

What is on a USMC dog tag?

The order further provided that the tags would be stamped as follows: “Officers – full name and rank at date of issue; enlisted men – full name and date of first enlistment in the Marine Corps.

What does a notched dog tag mean?

Known as the “locating notch” in military manuals, the notch helped medical personnel properly seat the dog tag into the imprinter. The Model 70 allowed medical or mortuary affairs personnel to transfer a soldier's personal information on the dog tag and imprint it directly onto medical documents.

Do navy seals wear dog tags?

Black Dog Tags are used by Special Operations forces such as the Army Rangers, Navy Seals, Green Berets, Commandos, and Delta Force. Black Dog Tags were mandated by a regulation on January 15, 1967 of the United States Army, Vietnam (USARV).

What do red dog tags mean?

- -- The dog tag has been a fixture of the American servicemember since the Civil War. But not since around World War II has the dog tag undergone as radical a change as it has now, with the Defense Department issuing red dog tags to servicemembers as medic alert tags.

What happens to dog tags when a soldier dies?

Upon death, the identification tag on the shorter chain was placed around the toe of the deceased, thus the nickname “toe tag” was given to this identification tag. The other dog tag was to either remain with the deceased or collected, as time permitted, by survivors to report back the name of the deceased.

Can I get a copy of my dog tags?

Military members and their families can request replacement military records such as discharge paperwork from the National Archives. However, replacement dog tags are not available.

What did ww2 Navy dog tags look like?

In World War II members of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps wore Dog Tags of a different shape than the Army and Air Force. They were oval shaped, had either one (P1917) or two (P1940) holes, and were engraved or etched rather than debossed or stamped.

Can I get my deceased father's dog tags?

Identification tags (dog tags) are only issued for identification and casualty reporting purposes in the event of the death of a current member of the armed services. The Armed Services have no provisions for replacement of dog tags after someone has left the military.

Are old dog tags worth anything?

Regardless of its condition, a buried, corroded or damaged dog license tag has value to a collector, especially if it is a rare specimen.

How do you clean military dog tags?

If you are using stainless steel or aluminum for your dog tags, you simply need to wash these with a mild dishwashing liquid and some water. Dilute the soap with water, dip the tags in this mixture, and then with a soft, damp rag, wipe the surface off gently.

Do you salute if you are not 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."