What does it mean when a veteran gives you his dog tags?
The main purpose of the military dog tags is to identify soldiers that are wounded or killed while they are in action. These dog tags are allotted to the soldiers as a replacement of the plastic printed identity cards because of their resistance to harsh weather conditions and durability.
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).
The tags are worn on the neck with a ball chain. The tags contain the information listed below: Branch (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines) Service Number; the first two digits state the starting year of service and the other eight digits state the specific unit of the person.
In 1917, when the U.S. Navy required all their sailors wear dog tags, the War Department finally mandated that all American combat troops have 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.
The first tag was to remain with the body, while the second was for burial service record keeping. The tags were given to enlisted men, but officers had to buy them. The Navy didn't require ID tags until May 1917. By then, all U.S. combat troops were required to wear them.
A few vets still wear their dogtags after they get out of the military for different reasons: habit, sentiment, practicality. Some get used to wearing them and it becomes automatic. Their time in the service is something that they want a constant reminder of.
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.
In May 1862, John Kennedy from New York proposed that each Union soldier be issued with an ID tag. This idea was rejected but it did not stop soldiers on both sides from buying or making their own. And so, the premise for an ID Tag, dog-tag as it resembles those tags worn by our pets, was sown.
Tetanus Date, Blood Type. T-52 A. Religious Preference.
What does T53 mean on a military dog tag?
T53 is disability sport classification for disability athletics. The class includes people with a number of different types of disabilities including spinal cord injuries. People in this class have full use of their arms but have no or limited trunk function. Similar classifications are T51, T52, and T54.
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.
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.
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).
Yes, depending on the intent. Under the Law of Conflict, it is required to identify captured prisoners, wounded prisoners, and, if possible, dead. For prisoners of war, it is not necessary to collect the identity discs.
In the military people wear them under their uniforms, unseen. Dog tags aren't supposed to be visible in uniform. Most civilians don't wear uniforms, so there is no “correct” way. Feel free to do whatever you want.
Your Dog's Name
It's not something you want to think about, but sometimes, pets are stolen. If this is a concern, leave the name off of the dog tag. This makes it more difficult for a would-be thief to claim the animal as his own. In general, adding the name doesn't do much for solving a lost dog situation.
The term "veteran" means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.
It's appropriate to wear your dog tags outside of your shirt when you want to show them off. For example, if you're an influencer with a large social media following, you might want to show off your dog tags to your fans.
The military only issues dog tags to current servicemembers. They do not issue them to veterans. The National Archives also doesn't issue replacement dog tags if you make a military records request. They will only send copies of your military records.
What do you do with old military dog tags?
Found dogtags must be mailed to the Department of Defense or the nearest United States Embassy.
“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. “The move safeguarded soldiers' personally identifiable information and helped protect against identity theft.”
The dog tag is made of 316L stainless fireproof steel. The tag is 2 mm thick, therefore, its strength and durability are guaranteed, since it cannot be bent or crushed without a serious mechanical impact. The tag comes fitted with a chain and clip which are made of the same quality steel.
Identification tags, more commonly known as dog tags, have been used by the Marine Corps since 1916. They serve to identify Marines who fall in battle and secure a suitable burial for them.
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.
The large chain was counted to 365 ball links, and the small chain was counted to 52 ball links. A soldier could then bite or break off one link from the large chain each day and remove one link from the small chain each week. This accounted for one year of time before the cycle consumed the chain completely.
Through The Yellow Dog Project, a yellow ribbon on a dog's collar or leash lets others know that that dog is a Yellow Dog and needs a safe amount of space. The Yellow Dog Project is a global movement to bring awareness to dog's needing space, and helps keep people, their kids, and other pets safe.
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. In the event the wearer is killed the second tag is collected and the first remains with the body.
The dates on line 2 of the styles indicate the tetanus immunization, and the tetanus toxoid injection dates. These would most often be 1 year apart, and preceded by a T for the first date (i.e. T43 44). Blood Type. The military categorized blood according to four most basic forms of blood. They are: A, B, AB, and O.
This dog tag was issued until 1943. Then in mid-1943, the services removed the next of kin and inoculation information. If you look at a dog tag from 1943 to 1944, it will include the service member's name, serial number, blood type and religious preference. That's how to read a WWII dog tag from this period.
How do you destroy military dog tags?
To destroy metal tags, a special, more durable cutting head is required to both shred the tags thoroughly and protect the machine from damage. SEM has a product called the IDShred65 that is perfect for shredding all different kinds of identification, including dog tags and metal credit cards.
Army Medical Warning Tag
It is also known as a USMC 'Boot Tag' and is laced into the left boot laces between the 2nd and 3rd eyelet and tucked into the leather flap. It was formally introduced on August 18, 1968 with AR 40-15.
A: The dog tags are slightly magnetic and are, therefore, made of a thin stamped steel.
Playing dead to escape an enemy is okay. It would be considered a ruse of warfare, albeit a very dangerous one. Still, it could be and has been used by soldiers with little other choice.
Targeting civilians, torturing prisoners of war and stealing dog tags are all illegal actions that have been used in games without penalty.
False surrender is a type of perfidy in the context of war. It is a war crime under Protocol I of the Geneva Convention. False surrenders are usually used to draw the enemy out of cover to attack them off guard, but they may be used in larger operations such as during a siege.
Yet, loved ones occasionally wear the dog tags of those that they have lost. A civilian may wear dog tags that belonged to a grandparent, parent, or spouse. They may wear the tags to remember and honor their family members.
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.
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).
Mineral spirits and a tooth brush can be used to remove the polish if desired in the future. We also offer this as an add-on service (for Debossed Dog Tags only).
Can dog tags be destroyed?
Because dog tags are made of metal, they cannot be destroyed in most paper shredders (and NEVER in high security/NSA listed paper shredders!). To destroy metal tags, a special, more durable cutting head is required to both shred the tags thoroughly and protect the machine from damage.
As long as you're recognizable as a combatant, you can wear whatever you want. There are many armies that don't have the means to provide a uniform for every soldier and just issue a badge or an armband to them. During the Kosovo War, I once joined a firefight in civilian clothes.
