Other uses of dog tags, such as placing them on display as a reminder of a veteran’s service in the home, in a vehicle, in shadow boxes, etc., do not seem to generate negative connotations for vets and currently serving military members.Īs with many other cultural issues, context is everything. A show of patriotism in such cases excuses the open wearing of dog tags as a show of support. It’s one thing to wear dog tags openly on Veterans Day, Memorial Day, etc. Most service members agree that dog tags should be concealed beneath the duty uniform. The use and display of dog tags are fairly open-ended and are not regulated the same way the Flag Code instructs in the proper use of the American flag. » MORE: Get Accurate VA Disability Ratings: Start Todayīuying replacement dog tags in honor of a loved one or friend is a fairly common practice. However, replacement dog tags are not available. Military members and their families can request replacement military records such as discharge paperwork from the National Archives. Does the National Archives Provide Replacement Dog Tags? This detail is too easily used for nefarious purposes should the tags fall into the wrong hands. It is recommended that families opt out of including a service member’s Social Security number on such replacement dog tags. Several companies offer these services, and they are easily found via Google,, etc. Families who wish to have dog tags replaced for a loved one are required to have them printed by commercial companies that offer such services. Those currently serving do not need to pay to replace their dog tags they can be obtained from the office that processes ID cards and Common Access Cards, or you may need to discuss replacing them with a mobility section or readiness center.īecause 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. » MORE: Maximize Your Veteran Benefits: Get Accurate VA Disability Ratings The United States Army has transitioned away from SSNs in favor of a randomly generated ID number. Depending on the branch of service and other variables, SSNs may still be required, but this feature is likely on the way out for all branches of service. There has been a move in recent years away from including Social Security numbers on dog tags. Social Security number (no dashes or spaces) followed immediately by branch (“USN”) blood type.Branch (“USMC”) gas mask size (S, M, L).Social Security number (with three/two/four spacing:123 45 6789).First name, middle initials, suffix, blood type.Social Security number with no dashes or spaces, followed by branch (“USCG”).Department of Defense ID or Social Security number (prior to 2015).Social Security number, followed by branch (“AF”).They have traditionally included the following details: Air Force Military Dog Tag FormatsĮach branch of the service has its version of a standard format for dog tags. » MORE: Unlock Your VA Disability Benefits: Improve Your Rating Later versions of dog tags in the 20th century included the military member’s Social Security number. Military service numbers were added in 1918. The United States Army began issuing dog tags circa 1906, which were required to display the soldier’s name, rank and military unit. Others stenciled the information on bags, clothing, etc. In the American Civil War, soldiers wrote their personal information on paper that they pinned to their uniforms to identify them if they were killed in action. Some websites would have you believe that the use of dog tags is a uniquely American innovation, but history shows us plenty of examples of the use of such identifiers as early as Sparta and the Roman legions.Īccording to the book, “The Late Roman Army ” by Pat Southern and Karen Ramsey Dixon, Roman legion recruits were given disks to wear around the neck with the recruit’s name and the legion they were serving in.Ĭenturies later in China, both sides of the struggle known as the Taiping Rebellion wore military IDs in the form of wooden belt tags. » MORE: Find Out What You Qualify For: Free Medical Evidence Evaluation for VA Disability
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