Why can't I choose any religion I want for dog tags / ID tags? How about Jedi?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 10:01:20 -0500

I speak strictly on the Army side of things, as I have no experience in the Navy/Air Force, Marine Corp/Coast Guard.

When you go through the military channels to get your ID Tags made, there is a list of religions you can choose from to put on there. I cannot find said list, but I know it exists since I have held the physical piece of paper in my hands. Some of them that I remember are Roman Catholic, Christian, Wiccan, Jewish, and Muslim. However, there are many religions that are tax exempt [Chapter 501(c)(3)] that are not on that list; namely, Jedi.

"From a certain point of view," the US Military, being an appendage of the US Government, should not dismiss any religion, since the government should not make any law regarding religion.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances"

And I know I can just as easily go to an off-post establishment, pay the $5 - $10 to get them made with, honestly, whatever I wanted written on there in the religious practice spot (I am currently wearing a pair that say Sith) but why does the Army only recognize certain religions as being real? Why can't I be a Jedi, if a tax-exempt, sanctioned belief system exists in the US?

http://www.jedichurch.org/

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 11 at 2014 10:12 AM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 10:12:08 -0500

SFC Private RallyPoint Member, I did a quick search and found this article at army.mil about religions on dog tags. Apparently you can choose Jedi as your religion on your dog tags.

The article says there is no prescribed list:

http://www.army.mil/article/123034/What_s_on_your_dog_tag_/

What's on your dog tag?

For Soldiers, what to put on their dog tag for religious preference is serious business, because spirituality is important.

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Nov 11 at 2014 10:15 AM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 10:15:03 -0500

I know on the AF side the "list" is on our vMPF as a drop down box.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 11 at 2014 10:29 AM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 10:29:57 -0500

Wow Wiccan? Could I write Scientology on there too?

Response by SFC Stephen P. made Nov 11 at 2014 2:41 PM

SFC Stephen P. — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 14:41:07 -0500

Do the services retain Jedi chaplains? Are medical and mortuary personnel adequately trained in Jedi practices to accommodate diet, medicine, and disposal of remains (generic religious concerns, not necessarily applicable to the Jedi faith)?

The options I see are:
1. Accommodate no religions
2. Accommodate religions according to their member numbers
3. Attempt to accommodate all religions and fail due to insufficient resources.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 11 at 2014 7:19 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 19:19:01 -0500

Religion is identified on the dog tags for proper care of the dead. We can debate and joke about the possible entries on that line, but it has no relevance to anyone else but the person wearing the tags unless Mortuary Affairs needs it. As a matter of privacy, no one else needs to know your beliefs.

Response by Cpl Dennis F. made Nov 11 at 2014 7:23 PM

Cpl Dennis F. — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 19:23:43 -0500

Because I am the Jedi master and I just don't hand those things out to anyone.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 12 at 2014 1:03 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 13:03:34 -0500

SFC Private RallyPoint Member - I got my dog tags at Camp Atterbury back in 2009. At that time, there was a list that had the codes for putting various religions on the dog tags - there were dozens, if not hundreds, listed. I did not get the impression that the list was meant to be exclusive, just fairly comprehensive. I'm pretty sure there was an entry for "Other, not listed" but I'm not sure. I would ask the shop that actually makes the dog tags - that's who I dealt with at Camp Atterbury.

Response by Cpl Peter Martuneac made Nov 27 at 2014 11:38 AM

Cpl Peter Martuneac — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 11:38:12 -0500

I had a special set of tags made for my first trip to Afghanistan. For religion, I put Templar. I see your jihad and raise you a Crusade, Taliban Tom.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 28 at 2014 2:29 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 02:29:10 -0500

SSG Houde,

Speaking as a Chaplain Assistant if you would like to change the religion on your dog tags you can talk to your unit's "Unit Ministry Team" or the CH and his Assistant and they can take care of it for you by coordinating with the S1. The Army does recognize all religion and I have had soldiers request jedi be put on their dog tags which after I confirmed they were legit (you would be surprised how many soldiers try to do it as a joke) I obliged them.

As for why there are no Wiccan CH's they would need to be sponsored by an organization or denomination and no Wiccan "church" has sponsored a CH. Hence why the CH Corps consist of Christian, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddist although I must admit the last three only have a handful of CH's. I hope this has helped.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 29 at 2014 8:30 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 08:30:32 -0500

I personally know someone who had Jedi as their religion on the tags at a mobilization station.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2014 8:23 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 08:23:56 -0500

SSG Houde. Don't forget LDS....
I still have a set with "Ghost Dance" religion punched on them. Just went to supply and asked for it... and they had a machine...and they thought nothing of it.. but that was long ago. Now DTs are commercially available if you want that option.
The tag obviously has more than one field expedient purpose, including casualty affairs and POWs... It can quickly tell a chaplain what type of assistance they can render, it can tell a medical what kind of blood you need, and so on.
One can argue the doctrine of separation of church and state ala "respecting establishment of religion" would negate commissions for chaplains, tax exempt status and many other things....

Response by SSG Robert Blair made Dec 23 at 2014 12:35 PM

SSG Robert Blair — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 12:35:00 -0500

I have a set that says "Jedi Knight". My chain of command was aware of it and nothing was said. The reg just says what is recognized. If it's not on the list they will just perform a generic funeral for you because they will not know the specifics for a ceremony to match.
The reg also protects you from being told otherwise. The religious slot on tags is personal and cannot be dictated.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2014 9:12 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 21:12:42 -0500

Here is a good article on the subject.

http://www.army.mil/article/123034/What_s_on_your_dog_tag_/

Response by Col Joseph Lenertz made Dec 8 at 2015 3:38 PM

Col Joseph Lenertz — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 15:38:58 -0500

LOL. I always like "Reformed Druid"...because those mainstream Druids can be so severe.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 9 at 2015 6:26 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 09 Dec 2015 06:26:07 -0500

I am an atheist and didn't think "No-Rel-Pref" was accurate but it was the only option I was given in bootcamp. Prior to my first deployment I had it changed to "Shaolin" and it has been as such ever since.

Response by A1C Lisa Casserly made Feb 25 at 2016 10:15 PM

A1C Lisa Casserly — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 22:15:19 -0500

I don't know that it has anything to do with "tax exempt" status... but, you could have hope... as it seems that the state of Massachusetts is now recognizing the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster", and allowing people to wear colanders on their heads in their driver's license picture. So, if you truly wish to worship the Force, I don't see why you can't.

Response by Matt Moon made Apr 15 at 2018 3:27 PM

Matt Moon — Sun, 15 Apr 2018 15:27:55 -0400

I was hoping i could change my Religious Preference to Saint Mattis.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 1 at 2019 6:14 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 06:14:38 -0500

I believe you can put whatever you want on the tags, I actually ran into a SGT that wanted Cthulu on his, you know, from the HP Lovecraft novels, literally a monster/god that comes from the sea and ends the world.. and at first I said no, then second guessed it and asked Chaplain for guidance.

Apparently, as long as your okay with the typical run of the mill burial rights, you can put (damn near) anything on the tags.

Just keep in mind, if you want a specific burial right, youll want that specific religion present on your tags in the event something happens to you. God forbid you put "pastafarian" when your whole family are devout athiests, and they give you a religious ceremony.

Response by CA Brandy Martin made Jan 16 at 2023 11:15 AM

CA Brandy Martin — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 11:15:43 -0500

dogtagus will stamp whatever you want on the tags just make sure they are authorized to wear.