By the time of the Vietnam War, some IDs spelled out the broad religious choices such as PROTESTANT and CATHOLIC, rather than using initials, and also began to show individual denominations such as "METHODIST" or "BAPTIST". [41] Tags did vary by service, however, such as the use of "CATH," not "CATHOLIC" on some Navy tags. For those with no religious affiliation and those who chose not to list an affiliation, either the space for religion was left blank or the words "NO PREFERENCE" or "NO RELIGIOUS PREF" (or the abbreviation "NO PREF") were included. [41] Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung (2009-12-21). "Technische Lieferbedingungen: Erkennungsmarken und Halsketten: TL 8465-0066" (PDF). bwbm.de (in German and English). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-01-25 . Retrieved 2021-04-08. Unlike US forces, British service personnel are issued with their identification tags only when on active duty.

The military of Denmark use dog tags made from small, rectangular metal plates. The tag is designed to be broken into two pieces each with the following information stamped onto it:

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specify them as having health problems that may interact adversely with medical treatments, especially standard or "first-line" ones (as in the case of an allergy to common medications) MyDogTag.com supports our military and veteran community by actively sponsoring Military, Veteran, and P.T.S.D. charities and organizations with free Dog Tags, often in memory and support of deceased and injured veterans and their families. U.S. Military Dog Tags Frequently Asked Questions AO 102 of May 1907 introduced some slight changes to issue of the discs and dropped the stamping of ranks on them.

AFI 36-3802: Force Support Readiness Programs" (PDF). USAF e-Publishing. 9 Jan 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-11-23 . Retrieved 18 October 2021. Are you a veteran who lost his Dog Tags years ago? We can make you a new set that look almost identical to your originals depending on when you served. We also offer a Veteran discount! Memorial Keepsakes Some tags (along with similar items such as MedicAlert bracelets) are used also by civilians to identify their wearers and: The Mexican Army uses two long identity tags, very similar to the ones used in the United States Army. They are rectangular metal tags with oval ends, embossed with name, serial number, and blood type, plus Rh factor. No official identity tag issued until the adoption of the German patterns (though regimentally issued tags - usually (very) loosely based on the German 1869 pattern tag (in construction rather than shape and detail) - do exist). The German 1915 pattern is most commonly encountered, but 1878 (usually of a round (possibly rejected?) pattern) and (more rarely) 1916’s can also be found.

Modern Dog Tags

Rectangular piece, 35x45 mm, designed to be broken in two. Includes soldier's first and last name, coded date and place of birth, identification number, religious affiliation, and blood group. [ citation needed] Japan [ edit ] Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung of 2009-12-21 specifies shape, materials and characteristics for four parts: [27] Canadian Forces identity discs (abbreviated "ID discs") are designed to be broken in two in the case of fatality; the lower half is returned to National Defence Headquarters with the member's personal documents, while the upper half remains on the body. The tags contain the following information: [23] German Bundeswehr ID tags are an oval-shaped disc designed to be broken in half. They are made of stainless steel, 50.3 millimetres (1.98in) height and 80 millimetres (3.1in) width. The two sides contain different information which are mirrored upside-down on the lower half of the ID tag. They feature the following information on segmented and numbered fields:

Cf. Instruktion über das Sanitätswesen der Armee im Felde of 29 April 1869, Berlin: Mittler, 1869, article (§) 110. No ISBN.Following the German-Danish War, a Berlin master-craftsman proposed the issue of a “Hundesmarke” (literally “Dog tag”) named after the existing dog-tax tag but this was all but rejected by the Prussian War Ministry (and also gave birth to the story of Koenig Wilhelm flying into a rage about the unsubtle naming of the tag (“my soldiers are not dogs!”). Whether or not this is true, the name “Hundesmarke” was certainly forbidden in later years…which only served, of course, to encourage it’s use by the soldiers who wore them!). PLA is introducing a two-dimensional matrix code on the second tag, the matrix code contains a link to the official database. This allows the inquirer get more details about the military personnel. [24] Colombia [ edit ] Cucolo, Ginger. "Dog Tags: History, Stories & Folklore of Military Identification". The Library of Congress Webcasts. The Library of Congress . Retrieved 2016-03-30. Never being called such in regulations, the "dog tag" has forever imprinted itself on the serving individual's mind and the tag they wear. Dog tag is an informal but common term for a specific type of identification tag worn by military personnel. The tags' primary use is for the identification of casualties; they have information about the individual written on them, including identification and essential basic medical information such as blood type [1] and history of inoculations. They often indicate a religious preference as well.

The initial issue disc of 1878 (the Erkennungsmarke ) utilised surplus Bavarian 1875 pattern discs, but, of course, there were never enough produced to be issued to the entire German military (though examples could still be encountered on issue as late as 1914/15). Aluminium, These chains look very similar to the steel chains but have a lower breaking strength, This can be useful if the tags are being worn in a situation where they may get caught on something and injure the wearer. In 1910 a tag was issued that was identical to the 1906 pattern in all ways except size. The 1910 tag measured 3.5 cm in diameter. Both 1906 and 1910 pattern tags were, from now on issued in similar numbers and can be encountered relatively equally. There was one more change before the USA entered the war. Possibly due to reports from the nations already involved in the war or possibly due to experiences in Mexico, a second disc was introduced on 6th July 1916 . From now on, the first disc (be it of 1906 or 1910 pattern) had two holes to facilitate the attachment of the second disc. But such was the destructive power of weapons in the First World War that the army had allowed a flaw to remain in its guidance relating to the administration of casualties. The Field Regulations Part II, 1909, Chapter XVI paragraph 133, with amendments of October 1914, stated that ‘Anyone concerned with burying a soldier, or finding a body after an action, will remove the identity disc and pay book’. By removing the two key forms of identification from a body, the possibility of misidentification of the dead became more likely. Service Number; the first two digits state the starting year of service and the other eight digits state the specific unit of the person.Currently British Forces dog tags feature two 38mm 316 surgical stainless steel disks which are either laser etched or dot peen marked with the wearers details. Mikkelson, Barbara (2 August 2007). "Notch for the Faint Hearted". Snopes.com . Retrieved 12 September 2007. This section may contain an excessive amount of intricate detail that may interest only a particular audience. Please help by spinning off or relocating any relevant information, and removing excessive detail that may be against Wikipedia's inclusion policy. ( April 2021) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) this “1917 Pattern ” disc is not recognised by many collectors and historians as a separate pattern possibly because its issue was never officially regulated. Some manufacturers did, however, produce discs to the specifications suggested in 1917 and so, though, not really a radical pattern change, they do exist as a separate entity to the disc of 1916)