Veteran Dog Tags

[Jerrell]

For the other veterans out there...do you wear your dog tags?

I stopped wearing mine a couple years ago to help me mentally separate from military thinking and thinking I was still in the military, but have been considering putting them back on once I get back on the road full time.

Any thoughts on the pros vs. cons of wearing your dog tags? Like maybe it would get me some credit with authority figures as a pro, but catch some flak from some uber-left leaning activist types as a con.

 

[Thomas Walker]

Here's my opinion, having no military experience whatsoever:

Whether a veteran wears his/her dog tag is up to them. If it were me in that situation, it would be a matter of whether that was a part of my past I was willing to embrace or forget.

Although not universal, dog tags, and other military memorabilia can probably trigger PTSD in some, but for those who don't experience that, it can be a reminder of friends and family in the military and serve as a sort of spiritual guide to the wearer on their journey.

 

[creature]

If you wear your tags, carry a copy of your discharge, too.

 

[Jerrell]

carry a copy of your discharge

Would my VA identification card work just as well? Not sure I want to be toting around my DD-214 with all that personal info on it.
I've never been challenged as to whether I actually served or not, but I'm a bit rounder and beardier these days. haha

 

[creature]

Ya, if you have mil ID, by all means.
I mean, if you think you'll be in situations where it makes a difference, backup is good.
Certainly doesn't hurt.

I was given an honorable discharge *after* the fuckers decided I was too deaf to serve on a ship (& was probably a danger to be fucking around with nuclear reactors) but I carry a redacted copy, half folded with the embellished "Honorable" visible, on my visor, turned facing outward from the driver's side.
I suspect more than once an officer has taken a look at it while I was sleeping & let me rest.

Also, if you have the paperwork available, **get your veteran's endorsement on your driver's license or primary ID**.

If they do a BG check & you're not worth fucking around with, they may leave you alone a little sooner & with less prejudice, & maybe even a little respect.

That's how I interpret my experiences, in any case..

 

[Dunedrifter]

I stopped wearing mine the day I was discharged. I don’t know why anyone would want to continue allowing the military/government to keep a leash on you as a constant mind fuck that you are their slave. To each their own.

 

[OutsideYourWorld]

I don't. It was a big part of my growing up but it's done and in the past. I don't feel the need to keep such an attachment. But that's just me.

 

[peacefulmonokai]

Worth wearing if you have no ID. Folks can identify you if something bad happens. Used to wear them when I first got out. Now they're in a box in a storage. But it was also part of my "moving on", which everyone handles different. If you want to wear them, put them on, and wear them. It's likely some might "let you have it," if they see them. Remind them of the system in place to direct anger towards politicians.

 

[mouse]

I do not wear my dog tags.

One of my buddies was assigned to run the machine for a day, so he made a set for himself. His religious preference was "I AM MY OWN GOD".

 

[whfiv]

I still wear mine for the same reason they were issued... To identify the remains. Makes it easier for whoever locates you. And, remember; always wear your cleanest scivvies!
I also put a set of Uncle Bill's Sliver Grippers and the dog tag silencers on them. (The rattling will drive you crazy!)

 

[Jerrell]

Oh yeah, forgot about needing the silencers for them. Maybe I'll just hang them from my rear view or something. That way they're visible to hall monitors (cops, etc), but less of a hassle than paying the local DMV to put an emblem on my license.

...although, wearing the red one that says PENICILLIN would probably be smart. haha

Thank you guys for the input!

These days, the tags are more of an identifier and less an identity in how I relate to them.
Do I agree with what the military is used for? No. Is it a big part of my past and just as responsible as other life experiences that made me who I am today? Yes.