Do soldiers keep their dog tags?
The main purpose of the military dog tags is to identify soldiers that are wounded or killed while they are in action. These dog tags are allotted to the soldiers as a replacement of the plastic printed identity cards because of their resistance to harsh weather conditions and durability.
Considerable technological advances have come along since Vietnam, including the ability to use DNA to identify remains. But despite these advancements, dog tags are still issued to service members today.
The tags' primary use is for the identification of casualties; they have information about the individual written on them, including identification and essential basic medical information such as blood type and history of inoculations. They often indicate religious preference as well.
The tags were worn under the field uniform. According to the Defense Department, in July 1916, the U.S. Army amended its initial order and required a second disc. Why two dog tags? The first tag was to remain with the body, while the second was for burial service record keeping.