The Purpose of Military Identification Tags

Identification tags, or dog tags, are used by the military to identify personnel.

Each soldier in the United States armed forces is required to own a pair of metal identification tags. These tags serve a variety of purposes and have become a symbol of military service.

History

Identification tags in the United States military have been in use since the Civil War, when soldiers wrote their names on pieces of paper or wood and attached them to their clothing. By 1913, they were required by the Army and persist today as a source of identification.

Function

The purpose of identification tags is, interestingly enough, to identify soldiers. These tags contain information including a soldier's full name, social security number, blood type and religious preference. In the event of an emergency or death, this information can be used for identification, arranging religious services or providing blood by transfusion.

Future

With the advent of microchip technology, the Army is testing an identification tag that contains a chip with most of a soldier's personal information programed into it. These tags could then be scanned to obtain the information.

References

• United States Quartermasters Foundation: A Short History of Identification Tags
• U.S. Air Force: AFI 36-3103