Posted on Jun 5, 2017
Why do service members bust on each other for wearing their dog tags?
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I don't understand why other (mostly enlisted) service members bust on me for always wearing my dog tags. When asked why they are chopping on me, they usually don't give a straight answer; just continue to crack on me.
My dad (retired NCO) always said you should always wear them because "you never know what's gonna happen out there."
If its reg to wear them, why is it "uncool" to do so?
My dad (retired NCO) always said you should always wear them because "you never know what's gonna happen out there."
If its reg to wear them, why is it "uncool" to do so?
Dog Tags
Regulation
Safety
Enlisted
Officer
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 184
Sir, they're probably just busting your chops because you're a junior officer. I wear mine 24/7. Your dad is correct. In the event of some unforeseen circumstance, god forbid, and your identity can't be confirmed using visual methods, your dog tags would assist the authorities in identifying and expeditiously notifying your NOK.
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MSgt Matt Hancock
SSG Darrell Peters - not a factory defect. The notch was used for positioning the tag for embossing. FYI
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SSgt Matthew Kelly
One around the neck and one in the laces of your left boot, in the event the two get separated. But nowadays with DNA Identification their really isn’t a need for them.
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SSG Richard (Rick) Dana
This is such a funny post. Some love them for security and others hate them for the noise and itching they created. Well, I’m now 75 years young. I served in the Air Force during the Vietnam era changed service and joined the Army serving my country honorably. Yup, you guessed it, I still wear my dog tags today only now I have another tag added for medical reasons. By the way, my p38 is still attached to the chain!
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See, I've always worn mine. Hell, I'm out and it's still habit to wear them. The only time I think that someone is an idiot is when they wear them outside their shirt like some kind of piece of jewelry. It kind of goes along with those kids that wear their PT shirts to the bar. It's just stupid.
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Bill Huntley Jr.
Sgt Thomas Proctor - I could be wrong, I read facts about the Notch in old tags was False.
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Sgt Thomas Proctor
Bill Huntley Jr. - I am not one to argue, just repeating what I was told by my stepfather, who served in Patton's Third Army and a fellow G.I. who served in a mortuary outfit on Okinawa in WWII. Maybe it was not the purpose of the notch, but they saw it done this way evidently. You know that soldiers will improvise and come up with new ideas.
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SGT Joseph Gunderson
Bill Huntley Jr. The notch existed simply to align the tag in the stamping matching of the day.
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Bill Huntley Jr.
My father told me the Old Folks tale about putting tag notch in between the front teeth and slamming the head down on the dead who died in war time. He Serviced in Korean War, US NAVY. His style of 2-Dog Tags look like the old style from 1950. He joined the US NAVY before the war started. And One round style tag that looks like WWII US Navy tag.
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2LT (Join to see) Sir, you keep doing you, and doing what you know is right. If in a duty status its a requirement
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.
If not in duty status its at the SM's option.
An interpretation of that can be, if you are Active duty, you are in Duty status unless on leave, AWOL, or some other limited conditions.
So you are "on duty" 24/7, 365 unless specifically placed in a non duty status.
A more common reading is, "On Duty" meaning while in uniform (said uniform may be other then military dress) during published duty hours. If the SM is not performing assigned or implied duties in uniform or out, during published duty hours, then no need to wear ID tags.
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.
If not in duty status its at the SM's option.
An interpretation of that can be, if you are Active duty, you are in Duty status unless on leave, AWOL, or some other limited conditions.
So you are "on duty" 24/7, 365 unless specifically placed in a non duty status.
A more common reading is, "On Duty" meaning while in uniform (said uniform may be other then military dress) during published duty hours. If the SM is not performing assigned or implied duties in uniform or out, during published duty hours, then no need to wear ID tags.
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SSG (Join to see)
SGM, not to be that guy, but doesn't the 'in a duty status' bit you state semi-contradict the example given in (2) of 3-11 (during physical training)?
I ask your view on 3-11(2), as I have used that in the past when asked why I was not wearing mine for PT, while overseas.
Also, not to split hairs, but the referenced (jointly published) regulation states per 19.18(.1,.2,.3), technically even while on active duty, I would need to wear them in the field, on an aircraft, or OCONUS (respectively). To further split hairs, however, the word "only" does not appear in para 19.18 at all, leaving it open to debate from more seasoned personnel than myself as to why I would be wrong for not wearing them in garrison. Honestly not trying to go the barracks lawyer route with that one.
I ask your view on 3-11(2), as I have used that in the past when asked why I was not wearing mine for PT, while overseas.
Also, not to split hairs, but the referenced (jointly published) regulation states per 19.18(.1,.2,.3), technically even while on active duty, I would need to wear them in the field, on an aircraft, or OCONUS (respectively). To further split hairs, however, the word "only" does not appear in para 19.18 at all, leaving it open to debate from more seasoned personnel than myself as to why I would be wrong for not wearing them in garrison. Honestly not trying to go the barracks lawyer route with that one.
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SSG Jason Penn
SGM.... as you posted, AR 670-1 para 3-11 section (a) states "Identification tags. Wearing identification tags is governed by AR 600–8–14." This means that AR 600-8-14 supersedes AR 670-1 in this matter. AR 600-8-14 specifically states that wear of the tags is required at all times when OCONUS, on an aircraft, or in the field. that means that it isn't required at any other time. However, not required does not mean prohibited.
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SFC Michael Hasbun
You are not on duty 24/7. You are on duty from first formation until you are released at the end of the duty day.
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