Army dog tags3/1/2023 ![]() Don’t hang them from the mirror on your car or display them at home. These should only be used in the line of duty. Contact your personnel unit and they can issue them to you or tell you where you can get a set issued. If you are currently serving in the military and need a replacement set, you can get them issued at no cost. It’s important to understand the purpose of dog tags and the information they contain before ordering a replacement set of dog tags. Identity theft is a big problem, not just for service members, but for everyone. The information on dog tags should be protected because having the name and Social Security number is enough for many people to steal the service member’s identity. They started using the DoD ID Number in Nov. Note: as of early2016, the Army is the only branch that has gone away from the Social Security Number on dog tags. This information is the most essential information needed on the battlefield. Today, dog tags issued by the US military include the service member’s Name, Branch of Service (all except Army), Serial Number (often Social Security Number, or DoD ID Number), Blood Type, and Religious Preference (if any). Today’s dog tags are made from material that is durable, but that will not rust or corrode from normal wear and tear. Information that has been included in dog tags through the years could include serial numbers, next of kin contact information, immunizations, and more. Through the years, the purpose has remained the same, while other features have changed, including their shape, size, the information on them, and the material they are made from. It was in WWII that dog tags earned their nickname, due to resembling dog registration tags required by many municipalities (the official name for dog tags is actually identification tags the term dog tag is not officially recognized, though it is more widely used). The tags included various information, often including the member’s name, rank, serial number, company, regiment, or corps. It was in WWI that soldiers were first issued two identification tags. Informal identification badges soon became popular, and soldiers used a variety of pins, tags, medallions, or other objects in which they engraved their names, hometown, battles they fought in, and other information.ĭog tags weren’t standardized by the US Army until the early 1900’s, when the War Department authorized identification tags in War Department General Order No. They were first used by US service members in the Civil War, when soldiers would scratch their names and hometowns on the backs of their belt buckles or other gear. Soldiers have used variations of dog tags and similar means of identification for hundreds of years. In life, and in death, people want to be identified and remembered. This guide will show you what you need to know about purchasing replacement dog tags. Otherwise, you will need to purchase dog tags from a third party vendor. If you are still serving in the military, you can get a set of dog tags issued to you. These are all great reasons to get a new set of dog tags. I frequently receive inquiries from veterans who wish to replace their lost identification tags (also known as dog tags), or from family members who wish to get replacement dog tags for their loved ones, either as a gift, or to remember their service. The latter would have been provided by the soldier individually.Replacing Dog Tags –What You Need to Know Before Buying They were secured around the neck by cotton tape (which did rot in the jungle), a leather thong, or a metal chain. Folklore has it that these colourings were to aid soldiers in remembering which tag went where: red meant blood and was to be taken, since the soldier was dead green meant grass and was to stay with the body.ĭuring the Second World War, the fibreboard discs were replaced with metal ones, which would not rot in wet conditions. ![]() The circular disc, sometimes coloured red, was used to identify the belongings of the soldier and be sent home. The octagonal disc, sometimes coloured green, was to remain with the body of the soldier to aid in identification should the body need to be exhumed. During the First World War this was increased to two fibreboard discs, one round and one octagonal. The discs were stamped with the soldier's name, service or regimental number, religion, and unit. In 1906, Australian soldiers were issued with a tin disc rather than the tape, and given orders that this was to be worn around the neck.
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