Dog tags: Difference between revisions

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[[Image:Id_wings.jpg|thumb|[[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon Valerii]]'s identification tags]]
[[Image:Id_wings.jpg|thumb|[[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon Valerii]]'s identification tags]]
All soldiers in the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] wear hexagonal-shaped '''"dog tags"''' around their necks.
All soldiers in the [[Colonial Fleet (RDM)|Colonial Fleet]] wear hexagonal '''"dog tags"''' around their necks.


These identification tags presumably contain the name and serial number of the soldier.
These identification tags bear the name and serial number of the servicemember.


In the event of a soldier's death, the dog tags on his or her body aid in identification, particularly if damage to the body renders it difficult or impossible to identify. If possible, soldiers remove the tags from a body during combat if they are unable to return with the dead soldier's body, as does Chief [[Galen Tyrol]] for [[Tarn]], [[Socinus]] and [[Alex Quartararo|Alex "Crashdown" Quartararo]] on [[Kobol (RDM)| ("[[Valley of Darkness]]", "[[Fragged]]").
In the event of a soldier's death, the dog tags on his or her body aid in identification, particularly if remains are difficult or impossible to identify otherwise. The tags are taken from the body if recovery is not immediate or likely, as Chief [[Galen Tyrol]] does for [[Tarn]], [[Socinus]] and [[Alex Quartararo|Alex "Crashdown" Quartararo]] on [[Kobol (RDM)| ("[[Valley of Darkness]]", "[[Fragged]]")<ref>Real-world practice is to take one for casualty registration, and to leave the other with the remains for later recovery and identification.</ref>.


Captain [[Aaron Kelly|Kelly]] is the somber recipient of nearly 85 dog tags from dead ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' crewmen trapped in the port [[flight pod]] after it was vented to space by order of Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] to prevent a catastrophic ship explosion ([[Miniseries]]).
Captain [[Aaron Kelly|Kelly]] is the somber recipient of nearly 85 dog tags from dead ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' crewmen trapped in the port [[flight pod]] after it was vented to space by order of Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] to prevent a catastrophic ship explosion ([[Miniseries]]).


When [[Kara Thrace]] has to leave [[Samuel Anders]] on Caprica to return to ''Galactica'', she gives him her ID tags as a promise that she would return ([[The Farm]]). Thrace is able to keep her promise ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]).
When [[Kara Thrace]] leaves [[Samuel Anders]] on Caprica to return to ''Galactica'', she gives him her dog tags as a promise of her return ([[The Farm]]), which she receives after their reunion ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]).


== Related imagery ==
== Related imagery ==

Revision as of 05:58, 15 August 2008

Sharon Valerii's identification tags

All soldiers in the Colonial Fleet wear hexagonal "dog tags" around their necks.

These identification tags bear the name and serial number of the servicemember.

In the event of a soldier's death, the dog tags on his or her body aid in identification, particularly if remains are difficult or impossible to identify otherwise. The tags are taken from the body if recovery is not immediate or likely, as Chief Galen Tyrol does for Tarn, Socinus and Alex "Crashdown" Quartararo on [[Kobol (RDM)| ("Valley of Darkness", "Fragged")[1].

Captain Kelly is the somber recipient of nearly 85 dog tags from dead Galactica crewmen trapped in the port flight pod after it was vented to space by order of Colonel Tigh to prevent a catastrophic ship explosion (Miniseries).

When Kara Thrace leaves Samuel Anders on Caprica to return to Galactica, she gives him her dog tags as a promise of her return (The Farm), which she receives after their reunion (Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I).

Related imagery[edit]

Notes[edit]

  • In "Exodus, Part I", Samuel Anders refers to Sharon Agathon's ID tags as "dog tags", establishing that this modern military term is also used in the BSG universe.
  • In real-life militaries, personnel often wear two sets of dog tags. In the event they are killed, one set is collected for casualty reporting while the other is left with the body.
  1. Real-world practice is to take one for casualty registration, and to leave the other with the remains for later recovery and identification.