What Does a Military Dog Tag Have Written on it?

Dog tags are used by the military to display any employee's identification information. If a soldier is wounded or killed in combat, the information on the dog tag is helpful in identifying him.

Name

The soldier's name is imprinted on the first line of the dog tag for identification purposes. If the whole name does not fit on the first line, then only the last name will go on that line with the first name and middle initial being printed on the second line.

Social Security Number

The Social Security number of the person allows the military to differentiate between multiple people with the same name. This will also help to make sure the right family is contacted, if necessary.

Blood Type

A soldier's blood type is listed to assist in medical emergencies. If the wearer is wounded and in need of blood, the dog tag will provide helpful information for a medical team to see what type is needed.

Religion

If the soldier wishes, she may indicate her religious preference on her dog tags. This is not a requirement and may be left blank or may say "No Religious Preference" instead.

Future of Dog Tags

The military is now in the process of creating and testing a new kind of dog tag that will be able to hold the medical and dental records of the wearer in a computer chip. The Marines are also testing a new dog tag that would use radio frequency to aid in locating a soldier in the field.

Resources

• Military Dog Tags
• Air Force Instruction Sheet