How are military dog tags set up?

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.

How many sets of dog tags do you get in the Army?

Every military personnel gets issued two dog tags, one with a short chain and one with a long chain. The reasons for having those different chain lengths is significant. After a soldier is killed in battle, fellow soldiers or officers can use the two tags to mark the body.

Why do soldiers wear two 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.

What information goes on a military dog tag?

Full Name as stamped on Dog Tags. Service Number, Military ID number, or Social Security Number. Blood Type. Religion.

How are military dog tags worn?

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. These dog tags are made up of T304 stainless steel. This type of stainless steel contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel to resist corrosion.

Blank Stainless Steel Dog Tag Set with Chains

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 do notched dog tags 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 military dog tags have Social Security numbers them?

By 1969, the Army began to transition from serial numbers to Social Security numbers. That lasted about 45 years until 2015, when the Army began removing Social Security numbers from the tags and replacing them with each soldier's Defense Department identification number.

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.

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.

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 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.

What do you do with old military dog tags?

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 address is: 1400 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1400.

Can you have black dog tags in the army?

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).

Can a veteran get replacement dog tags?

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.

What is written on Army 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”.

What happens if you lose your military dog tags?

If you are currently serving in the military and need a replacement set, you can get them issued at no cost. Contact your personnel unit and they can issue them to you or tell you where you can get a set issued. These should only be used in the line of duty.

Is it disrespectful for a civilian to salute a soldier?

TLDR – Civilians should face the flag and place their right hand over their heart during the National Anthem. Saluting the flag is a gesture reserved for the military. While civilians can salute soldiers, many veterans consider it inappropriate or awkward.

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.

Why do they call military tags dog tags?

A more likely, simpler origin is that the term came from World War II draftees who felt they were treated worse than dogs; in protest, they began calling their identification tags “dog tags.”

How many dog tags do soldiers wear?

Today, service personnel are issued two dog tags on a long and short chain, but given the advances made in DNA forensics and in utilizing medical profiles and information to identify the fallen, the role of the dog tag is still important, but only a piece of the process of identifying our nation's war casualties.

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.

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."

Why are military dog tags notched?

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.