Why do United States Military Dog Tags come in sets of 2?

Answer 1

Sandman is correct, one is used as a reporting device and one is left with the body (if it cannot be recovered immediately, we are not in the habit of leaving our fallen comrades behind) for identification purposes.

Answer 2

Once upon a time, the squad leader, platoon sergeant or graves and registration detail would collect one 'dog tag' from each of the dead for accountability reasons leaving the other to identify the body later. That is also why they come on two chains: big one around the neck and small one to take off. A lot of GI's also wore an extra 'dog tag' laced into the strings of their boot, in case their heads were blown off. Now days, with DNA none of this is necessary, but its still done.

Answer 3

If you do die one goes on your toe or with your body to keep you ID'ed on your way through the dead person system until you finally make it back home. The other tag goes through admin so the military can do all the things needed to tell your family you are dead and complete all the paperwork needed to be done if you do die.

Answer 4

All military members get issued ID Tags while in Basic Training / Tags contain the following information:
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME / MIDDLE INITIAL
SOC SEC NUMBER / MILITARY BRANCH
BLOOD TYPE
RELIGIOUS PREFERENCE

now wearing them is another story - required for deployments / should you get killed - 1 tag for the body / 1 tag for ???

Answer 5

One stays with the body in the event of death and one is used for prossecing. I know used to be they had a notch in them so if a soldier was killed and fellow soldiers could not because of comabat attend to their brothers body it was put in the mouth and the jaw slammed shut. Rigor sets in and keeps the jaw shut until he can be recovered and identified this way. It sounds bad when thinking about our beloved soldiers but it kinda the only way,simple but effective. God bless out soldiers and the USA.

Answer 6

If a soldier gets killed, one tag stays with the body and one tag goes with the records.

Answer 7

In WWII, they would put one of the dog tags between the teeth of a casualty so his body would be identifiable later, and take the other to report him as a casualty.

Answer 8

If you pass away while in military duty, they keep one as your body tag for identification and the other gets sent home to inform your parents that youre not alive.

Answer 9

I am told one goes in the boot and one goes with the head if the soldier happens to get decapitated..... I thought one stayed with the body and one went to the guy in control...

Answer 10

one stays on the body and the other you take with you. They are only for identifying bodies while you're at war. You only wear them when you are deployed to a war zone or somewhere where you could die.