Don’t they have religious preferences already embossed on the tags?
Yes. To help identify a specific faith the serviceman embraces.
“Don’t they have religious preferences already embossed on the tags?”
Yes, at least we did during the Gulf War.
As an aside, I am Jewish and was stationed in Saudi. One day, all the Jewish servicemen on the base were ordered to appear, where we were issued “Protestant B” dog tags — and we were told to stow our “Jewish” dog tags. Apparently, it was illegal for Jews to be in Saudi Arabia.
This was the only order I willfully disobeyed in the Army.
(And for the record, this current order is equally stupid.)
Yes. PROT NODENOM.
Yes, I believe they still do. Sorry, but the tags are considered to be an official document, and not to be altered by other than the service branch.
An additional tag is easy to have made. Wear it with the other two. I knew many over the years who wore a small cross or religious medal on the chain with the tags.
68 through 72 I decided to hedge my bets, I had 3 sets of dog tags made during that time.
Set 1: Rom Cath
Set 2: Protestant
Set 3: Jewish
Must have worked out pretty well; I am still here.
I was a prostetant for about 5 years!