Posted on Dec 11, 2015
Did you know that the military is finally removing SSNs from dog tags?
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A few weeks ago COL Mikel Burroughs posted a "Did you know" question about somebody's dog tags being found and returned to the owner some 40 years later. I noticed in the photo of the dog tags that the serial number was missing and with good reason. I was one of the last soldiers to receive a serial number. While in basic the Army switched to using SSNs in place of serial numbers. It appears that they are finally switching back. Your thoughts please...
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/12/08/major-change-army-removes-social-security-numbers-from-dog-tags.html?ESRC=todayinmil.sm
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/12/08/major-change-army-removes-social-security-numbers-from-dog-tags.html?ESRC=todayinmil.sm
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
This is a duplicate discussion. Click below to see more on this topic.
Well, DA PAM 600-8-14 was just updated last week and the SSN on our tags has been replaced with our DoD ID Number.
c. All ID tags will have the following information embossed on them:
(1) Line 1. Name of the wearer: Enter last name, first name, middle initial. (If the full name cannot be embossed on
the first line, put the last name on line 1, place the first name and middle initial on line 2. Subsequent entries shift
down one line each. If a U.S. National, the name will be the same as shown on passport or ID card.)
(2) Line 2. (Service Number) Department of Defense (DOD) ID number (10 digits, no hyphens) (The Social
Security number has been replaced by the DOD ID, in accordance with DODI 1000.30.)
(3) Line 3. Blood group and type. Record as "A", "B", "AB", or "O", followed by "POS" OR "NEG." Do not use
plus (+) or minus (-) signs to record the blood type. If the blood type is incorrect the Soldier must update the medical
system of record.
(4) Line 4. Religious preference. Spell this out when possible (the example shown in figures 2–1 and 2–2 is used to
set forth a pattern for guidance). If the religious preference is incorrect, the Soldier must update the personnel system
of record.
Do you think this is going to make any difference, beside the lines to get the new tags and the people you know add some crazy stuff on them, will there be any benefit from it?
AR 670-1 States: 3–11. Identification tags and security identification badges
a. Identification tags. Wearing identification tags is governed by AR 600–8–14.
(1) Soldiers will wear identification tags at all times while on duty in uniform unless otherwise directed by the
commander.
Do you use them every single day? To PT, while on training in Civilians? Will this make any change?
Soldiers' Social Security numbers will no longer be part of their dog tags, the Army announced Tuesday.
The change, which some have argued is long overdue, is the first update to the ubiquitous identification tags in more than 40 years.
A soldier's Social Security number will be replaced by a 10-digit, randomly-generated number. The change will be implemented on an as-needed basis, Michael Klemowski, Soldiers Programs branch chief at Army Human Resources Command, said in a statement released by the Army.
"This change is not something where soldiers need to run out and get new tags made," he said. "We are focusing first on the personnel who are going to deploy. If a soldier is going to deploy, they are the first ones that need to have the new ID tags."
The change is in accordance with new Defense Department guidelines calling for less use of Social Security numbers. It also comes on the heels of several data breaches that compromised the personal information of millions of service members, government employees and veterans.
Removing Social Security numbers from dog tags is one of the ways the Army is trying to safeguard personal information, Klemowski said.
"If you find a pair of lost ID tags, you can pretty much do anything with that person's identify because you now have their blood type, their religion, you have their Social, and you have their name," he said.
The Army has been working on making this change for years; it was first outlined in the DoD Social Security Number Reduction Plan and the President's Task Force on Identity Theft Strategic Plan in 2007, according to the Army.
It took time to figure out how to implement the change because several Army systems used a soldier's Social Security number, and all for different purposes, Klemowski said. Each system had to be reworked so they worked with one another and the DoD ID number, he said.
"More and more systems are going to go to the DoD ID number as technology catches up with us and we are able to phase out the Social Security number," he said.
http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/careers/army/2015/12/08/army-stop-putting-social-security-numbers-dog-tags/76984792/
c. All ID tags will have the following information embossed on them:
(1) Line 1. Name of the wearer: Enter last name, first name, middle initial. (If the full name cannot be embossed on
the first line, put the last name on line 1, place the first name and middle initial on line 2. Subsequent entries shift
down one line each. If a U.S. National, the name will be the same as shown on passport or ID card.)
(2) Line 2. (Service Number) Department of Defense (DOD) ID number (10 digits, no hyphens) (The Social
Security number has been replaced by the DOD ID, in accordance with DODI 1000.30.)
(3) Line 3. Blood group and type. Record as "A", "B", "AB", or "O", followed by "POS" OR "NEG." Do not use
plus (+) or minus (-) signs to record the blood type. If the blood type is incorrect the Soldier must update the medical
system of record.
(4) Line 4. Religious preference. Spell this out when possible (the example shown in figures 2–1 and 2–2 is used to
set forth a pattern for guidance). If the religious preference is incorrect, the Soldier must update the personnel system
of record.
Do you think this is going to make any difference, beside the lines to get the new tags and the people you know add some crazy stuff on them, will there be any benefit from it?
AR 670-1 States: 3–11. Identification tags and security identification badges
a. Identification tags. Wearing identification tags is governed by AR 600–8–14.
(1) Soldiers will wear identification tags at all times while on duty in uniform unless otherwise directed by the
commander.
Do you use them every single day? To PT, while on training in Civilians? Will this make any change?
Soldiers' Social Security numbers will no longer be part of their dog tags, the Army announced Tuesday.
The change, which some have argued is long overdue, is the first update to the ubiquitous identification tags in more than 40 years.
A soldier's Social Security number will be replaced by a 10-digit, randomly-generated number. The change will be implemented on an as-needed basis, Michael Klemowski, Soldiers Programs branch chief at Army Human Resources Command, said in a statement released by the Army.
"This change is not something where soldiers need to run out and get new tags made," he said. "We are focusing first on the personnel who are going to deploy. If a soldier is going to deploy, they are the first ones that need to have the new ID tags."
The change is in accordance with new Defense Department guidelines calling for less use of Social Security numbers. It also comes on the heels of several data breaches that compromised the personal information of millions of service members, government employees and veterans.
Removing Social Security numbers from dog tags is one of the ways the Army is trying to safeguard personal information, Klemowski said.
"If you find a pair of lost ID tags, you can pretty much do anything with that person's identify because you now have their blood type, their religion, you have their Social, and you have their name," he said.
The Army has been working on making this change for years; it was first outlined in the DoD Social Security Number Reduction Plan and the President's Task Force on Identity Theft Strategic Plan in 2007, according to the Army.
It took time to figure out how to implement the change because several Army systems used a soldier's Social Security number, and all for different purposes, Klemowski said. Each system had to be reworked so they worked with one another and the DoD ID number, he said.
"More and more systems are going to go to the DoD ID number as technology catches up with us and we are able to phase out the Social Security number," he said.
http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/careers/army/2015/12/08/army-stop-putting-social-security-numbers-dog-tags/76984792/
Responses: 4
I never liked the idea of the social security number being used as a multi purpose number. Glad to see service numbers returning!
Yes I read a couple days ago that the military is removing the SSN from ID Tags going back to the way it was decades ago when military service number was used PFC David Ryba
This may be a good thing since the SSN was supposed to be used for limited purposes and so many scam artists know that if they have you name and SSN they can access a lot.
This may be a good thing since the SSN was supposed to be used for limited purposes and so many scam artists know that if they have you name and SSN they can access a lot.
Good Riddance!!
It's finally happening to use our DoD numbers to protect the member from ID theft, etc. Short story, I still have my 1974 Navy issue Seabag with my stenciled SSN on it...it was a common use back in the days. A few years ago my wife, God bless her soul, was deploying and was using my Seabag along with her foot locker. I couldn't believe my eyes, my SSN splashed all over and she's taking this out in public!! I of course being a good and patience husband, I hope, asked her why she was using my Seabag that had my SSN stenciled on it...to my surprise she said she uses it all the time...WHAT-GENERAL QUARTERS-CRASH ALARM!! Needless to say, I gingerly with great deft and slight of hand swapped out my issue Seabag with a newer Seabag minus SSN. Another subvert operation circumvented!! So, good riddance to the old dog tags and cheers to a peaceful harmonious marriage minus SSN stenciling.
It's finally happening to use our DoD numbers to protect the member from ID theft, etc. Short story, I still have my 1974 Navy issue Seabag with my stenciled SSN on it...it was a common use back in the days. A few years ago my wife, God bless her soul, was deploying and was using my Seabag along with her foot locker. I couldn't believe my eyes, my SSN splashed all over and she's taking this out in public!! I of course being a good and patience husband, I hope, asked her why she was using my Seabag that had my SSN stenciled on it...to my surprise she said she uses it all the time...WHAT-GENERAL QUARTERS-CRASH ALARM!! Needless to say, I gingerly with great deft and slight of hand swapped out my issue Seabag with a newer Seabag minus SSN. Another subvert operation circumvented!! So, good riddance to the old dog tags and cheers to a peaceful harmonious marriage minus SSN stenciling.
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