(Note: This post has nothing to do with actual dogs.)

I was issued a set of US military dog tags when I went into the reserves near 20 years ago, and have kept them around my neck even though I got out in 1999. Why? Because - let's be honest here - I'm cheap; and free is cheaper than 20 bucks for some medical alert tag that says pretty much the same things. And even with all of the named things in my wallet, and my nifty smart phone and all that, having something as simple as a dog tag to ID me in case I can't, is comforting.

But after two decades the medical tag is no longer red, and the other things round my neck, such as the whistle and P-38 can opener, have worn down the letters on the tags. Not unreadable mind you, but they are starting to wear.

So I am looking to replace them with new dog tags. Which got me online and... got me to thinking: The information on the current tags is what the military needs. Is it what I need if, say, I was mugged and left unconscious on a city street? Injured on a car wreck and unable to communicate? Or, worse...

No, it isn't. So after some "what if" thinking, here is what I came up with:

Line 1: Last name

No brainer here.

Line 2: First name, middle initial

Again, no brainer. (But for a southerner like me, it's first initial, middle name).

Line 3: USA and zip code

If I am outside of the country (which I am occasionally), someone will know which consul to contact in an emergency, and the zip code can tell someone inside the country where I'm from, too.

Line 4: Date of birth (000000) and blood type

Seems to be SOP background information. I know my blood type from my military file and tags.

Line 5: Emergency contact number (000.000.0000)

Someone needs to know what happened to me.

Note some things I didn't include. The SSN serial number is gone - I've always been a bit uneasy with that, anyway. For space reasons I didn't include religious affiliation - though I think some kind of abbreviation could be added. Maybe drop the USA and add it there?

On the medical tag I will be replacing the SSN serial number with my blood type and date of birth. Maybe religious affiliation, too. Just in case.

Other than that, I wanted to put all this to the ETS community for y'all's comments, insights, thoughts, feedback, criticisms, complaints, accolades, praise, etc., etc.

Thanks.

.....CLIFF
(like, who else?)

all good except for blood type. Blood type (A/B/O) tells something about the transfusion you will need, but not nearly enough to be useful. Nobody will base a transfusion decision on your dogtag. There are dozens of other antigens that need to be cross matched with a unit of blood before it can be safely transfused into you. So the blood bank will actually mix a sample of your blood and the new unit of blood to make sure that there is compatibility. In the meantime , the traumatologists will infuse saline, another plasma volume expander or low titer O universal donor blood until the cross-matched units are available. Use the space for more useful info, like your religion, medical insurance id mumber, or astrological sign.

The thing about blood type is that no US medical facility will give you blood based on a tag, a tatoo or a patch on a uniform. You get typed and cross matched or you get O- if there is no time. I was an Army medic. Soldiers put their blood type on things for style points.
I still wear my tag because it has my name on it. I figure that is all anyone would need to eventualy figure out who I am.
Medical people will however honor an alergy tag.
leo

As others have said - blood type is no medical use anywhere that you would want a transfusion!

Any serious medical allergies, eg. penicillin would be better

Yes, that's what I was going to say. It may help for the medical people to know that you have insurance.

I'm thinking about updating my medical card. Do you guys know of a good template online that I can download?

They asked me what religion I wanted on my dogtags in boot camp. They refused to put "Rastafarian" on there even though I thought that would seem funny on a dogtag.

contact number of primary care doctor... mine keeps a copy of all my medical records except dental

Using crystalloid (Normal Saline or Lactated Ringers) is now out of date. It was hazardous because it diluted clotting factors.

The preferred trauma blood volume products is packed red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, preferably 1:1. Factor 7 is also thrown in as well.

Conway Yee

My dog tags are older than your dog tags! They are still useful, but your cell phone probably has more currently relevant information - ICE data would be useful, but that changes from time to time.

I still wear dog tags. And a wrist bracelet made for me by the MONROE SPECIALTY COMPANY in Monroe wisconsin. It had dog tag info, plus physical description, allergies, SSN and DL.

I had one made up about 15 years ago. Have worn it continuously since then except for going thru TSA security.

It contains my full name, SSN, home phone number (so "they" can call my wife) and "No Drg Allergy"

I originally bought it to wear while motorcycling, hiking,and running.When running I add a house or locker key. When hiking I add a whistle. Now I wear it continuously - just because.

Had one earlier but my home phone area code changed so had to get a new one. ( I wouldn't put medical insurance numbers on it - too changeable)

Wife has her own tags.

The agreement between is that if we might be involved in an airliner crash - if the dogtag is found, that's all the other needs to know.

When I was in the military I didn't have a dogtag. Submariners don't really need them. You either find all of us or none of us.

name
address
city, state zip
home phone #
so's cell #

around my neck, in my pack and on my shoe.

also have red, aluminum, heart-shaped pet id tag on shoulder strap of pack with engraved "if found, please return to ( so's name ) @ cell #" on front. my name, house phone # on reverse side. people notice it - gets a chuckle - and that's the point.

No one really to call for my body. I've been a loner so long, and just disappear for days to weeks that the hands and the girl who does my books are used to it. If I never return, they continue to run the old homestead. But between my tags and bracelet they can put a name on my hospital chart or grave.

If you have a serious medical condition, your Dr's contact information might be helpful.

I have seen USB bracelets that allow you to keep ample amount of information. Of course it is only good if your rescuers have access to a computer with a USB drive.

I have the scanner turned on all day.

The only information needed by the 911 dispatcher is FULL name, address, city, state. Within minutes everything the rest is available. We had a bunch of them made up and added our phone number to cover the non-emergency events. They go on the dogs, llamas and luggage.

full name
address
city, state

I'd avoid the date of birth, as that can be used by identity thieves.

If you don't have any known allergies, "NKA" would be helpful. If you have any serious medical conditions, you might want to put the appropriate information on it, along with your doctor's name and number.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I will ditch the blood type.

I have a seperate medical tag for my allergy, and may consider adding my doctor's telephone, or name of my insurance provider. (name only, not plan no. / account no.)

.....CLIFF
(like, who else?)

Wellll... not entirely. It depends on the level of the trauma center you go to. Way out in the sticks (or out of the country) you may be lucky to get NS or LR.

Yes and no. In civilian land you're still going to get several liters of crystalloid prior to blood products.

In military land, probably a few units of colloids, then on to blood if you need it.

Factor 7 is falling out of favor now too excepts in special cases.

At what level of reaction does an allergy need to be included? I react to triple antibiotic ointment at the point of contact (localized swelling & redness, no respiratory)

While that probably would be OK, anything is worth mentioning. Typically they get worse w/ repeated exposures, and it's pretty common to use that (or similar) in an ER.

that being said, they could probably handle it.

Years ago I saw a TV news reporter's commentary in which he said that he had read of a man who had collapsed on the sidewalk in NYC, was taken to hospital, lived three days and died, all before he was identified and his family was notified. The reporter said he had taken to wearing his old army dog tags when he went running, so that he would not ever suffer the same fate. That got me thinking, especialy as in those days I did my jogging on the street.

I came up with a modern and improved variation on the dog tag solution. I signed up with the Medic Alert Foundation and filed my medical and contact info with their central registry. They sent me a stainless neck chain and medallion. Very lightweight, relatively small and inconspicuous, unless you are an EMT/PO looking for it, as they are trained to do with unconcious victims. The medallion has my name, blood type, emergency contact number, religion and some vital medical data. It also has my Medic Alert reistration number and their 24/7/365, "800" number. A call to them, with my reg. no. would give a hospital and police all relvant info, in case I was recovered unconcious.

Cheap insurance. I wear it all the time and update it periodically. If you buy the lifetime membership, updates are free.

Usual disclaimers and the Medic Alert foundation is a bona-fide not for profit corporation.

There's also Road ID, which my wife has attached to her shoe. Good company. No affiliation.

i'll second the Road ID,my Wife has one and i make sure she slips it on her wrist,and not handle bars like she will.it's a good idea for those who don't like stuff hanging around their neck.

Dog tags can do more than hold information:

http://www.equipped.org/rangerrick_necklace.htm

qjs