Posted on Aug 5, 2020
How will my hyphenated last name appear on my name tape?
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I'm enlisting next Wednesday and I have kind of a dumb question. I have a hyphenated last name and I wanted to know what determines what appears on my name tape. My brother is in and his has the first part of our last name on his OCP name tape but on his dress uniform he has our full last name. Would it be possible for me to get the last part of my last name on my OCP name plate and have my full name on my dress uniform?
Posted in these groups: 
Basic Training
37F: Psychological Operations Specialist
Basic Training 37F: Psychological Operations Specialist
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 4
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Both names without the hyphen will appear. The hyphen itself isn't allowed on nametapes, they just treat both names like one long name...
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SFC Steven Borders
SFC Michael Hasbun I could have sworn I have seen SM's with hyphen's on their nametape on both Active and Reserves. Thank you for pointing this out SFC Hasbun. I wasn't aware there is to be no punctuation on the name tapes.
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SFC Michael Hasbun
SFC Steven Borders - you do see it all the time, but it's not authorized. Luckily most people have never read the section on nametapes, so the odds of anyone correcting them are statistically low. A standard no one is unaware of is generally unenforced.
I had a Soldier from Palau who had a really long last name, so she put her shortened nickname on her nametapes. No one ever caught it =o)
I had a Soldier from Palau who had a really long last name, so she put her shortened nickname on her nametapes. No one ever caught it =o)
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SFC Michael Hasbun
Capt Gregory Prickett - the individual stated that they would be "enlisting" which leads me to believe they are joining the military, and not the Air Force ;o)
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What do you want to be called? One name on your ACU and done different on dress uniform will get you called a variety of names. You only have one listed here. So you need to decide what you want to be called as strangers will call you what they see written on the uniform you are wearing.
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SPC (Join to see)
Preferably I'd get the one that I have listed on here, as it's what I go by on pretty much everything. I very rarely use my full last name, and I think it would look dumb on the name tape on my OCPs as it's 15 characters long.
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I can't remember how it's supposed to go in Basic in regards to name tapes/plates and hyphenated names. I've seen hyphenated names (as long as they weren't too long a name) and I've seen folks with only one part of their hyphenated name. It's possible they will ask you down in Reception how you want it done....or they could very well make the decision for you.
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SPC (Join to see)
I've seen people with hyphenated names on their name tapes too and i just think it looks kind of goofy and out of place. My brother went to Leonard Wood for Basic and he said "the Army picked for me" but I'll be going to Jackson so maybe I'll have a little bit of luck and I'll get to decide.
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