Milsurp After Hours

I'm sure every army has something like. They are the tags that indentify the body of the soldier.

The US version used to contain the following information. I have no idea if they have changed or not over the last third of a century:

first line; last name

second line; first name, middle initial

third line; serial number. (At some juncture in the US Army it became the same as the Social Security number).

4th line;blood type

5th line; religion

The US Army issued them in duplicate. Most wore them together around their necks. Some of us in Vietnam put one in our boot strings.

What do the other armies of the world do? Are their "dog tags" about the same?

In the Australian Armythey were called Dog Tags and had much the same info.

Speaking of the 1950s, we wore both around our necks and tied so that one was below the other and could be cut off, leaving the other one attached to the body.

As an aside, they could be 'pawned' at Beer Halls in Japan for a couple of thousand yen so that the drinking could continue. This was a fairly safe bet for the hall as to be caught without your tags was a serious offence.

One night at my favourite haunt the 'papasan' asked me if I knew the owner of a particular set of tags as they had been in hock for a long time.

I read the name on them 'Ned Kelly' --- Australias most famous outlaw

Years later I found out that the local armourer at the time, did a great trade in custom made dog tags

Eoin

Robert,

Something seems out of sequence with the information on our dog tags. Mine has my serial number and my Social Security number. Religion and blood type are both on last line. But I'm sure I went into service before you did, July 1967, so why doesn't yours have SS number on them ?

Between 1967 and 1970, the Army changed to SS numbers and serial numbers were no longer used.

When I went into Army, couldn't think of any particular religion I liked, so my dog tags say, "No Pref", guess that makes me a devout No Preference.

Vern.

I joined the U.S. Army in June 1967, at that time your service number

indicated some of your status. If you enlisted in the Army like me you

were an RA-Regular Army, and your service bumber usually began with a

1, if you were ER-Enlisted Reserve and NG-National Guard, your service

number began with a 2 (usually). Draftees were a US with a service number usually starting with a 5 or a 6, a draftee who then opted to

convert to RA status-enlisting for the 3 or 4 year RA committment as opposed to the 2 years for a US kept the same service number but now

had an RA in front of it, officers had an O in front of their service number.

In 1969 the SSAN became the service number. I have dog tags with all

3 combinations.

Vern, my dog tags do have my social security number as my service number. I went in July of 69 as drafted. By the way there is no designation as to "US" on my tags. And... I have "no preference" too on my tags. When I was asked what religion to specify I said "none".. so in Army speak that must mean I'll believe in anything.

I think the US, RA, NG, AR, whatever, was only important in basic and AIT when entering the Mess Hall. I think they kept track for some kind of accounting purpose.

riptidenj wrote:I joined the U.S. Army in June 1967, at that time your service number
indicated some of your status. If you enlisted in the Army like me you
were an RA-Regular Army, and your service bumber usually began with a
1, if you were ER-Enlisted Reserve and NG-National Guard, your service
number began with a 2 (usually). Draftees were a US with a service number usually starting with a 5 or a 6, a draftee who then opted to
convert to RA status-enlisting for the 3 or 4 year RA committment as opposed to the 2 years for a US kept the same service number but now
had an RA in front of it, officers had an O in front of their service number.
In 1969 the SSAN became the service number. I have dog tags with all
3 combinations.

I'm not sure by your post if you meant that the RA was on the tag or not.

I enlisted in Feb 67 and had RA119030xx stamped on mine. Others had USxxxxxxx for draftees, NGxxxxxx for National Guard, and ERxxxxxx for enlisted reserved. When I got out after 4 years active duty in 71, I didn't want anything to do with the Army and my tags went somewhere. I can't find them now but sure wish I could. I was never reissued tags with my SS# on them.

Your service number is one number you never forget. It's easier for me to remember than my SS# and I have to refer to it quite often, and my RA number only VERY seldom.

My tags from July, 1967 have RA1897..... stamped on them. In basic we had to recite that number constantly, and the drill sgt. would pick on you no matter what the 2 letters were.

"RA, so you volunteered, you wanted to be here, are you happy here now?" (actually no)

Or "US, you had to get drafted, don't you love your country, or maybe you don't have the balls to be in the Army?"

The drill sgts always had something to yell at you for or to make you do pushups. I think sadistic tendencies were a job requirement for drill sgts.

Vern.

Vern, you know most DI's were never in combat themselves. That's why they were DI's.

As I said above, I lost mine years ago.

I wanted a new set and I ordered from these guys:

http://www.dogtagsdirect.com/military-tags.html

they charged me $5.95 including shipping. They look real good.

These guys look good too:

http://www.armynavy.com/