Dog tags: Difference between revisions

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


[[Image:Id_wings.jpg|thumb|This is [[Sharon Valerii (Galactica copy)|Sharon Valerii]]'s Identificatin Tag]]
These identification tags bear the name and serial number of the servicemember.


The two tags presumably contain the rank, name, and serial number of the soldier, as well as their ship or troop assignment.
In the event of a servicemember's death, the tags on his or her body aid in identification, particularly if the 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)|Kobol]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Valley of Darkness]]", "[[Fragged]]").


In the event of the soldier's death, identification tags on the soldier's body aid in identification, particularly if damage to the soldier's body renders the body difficult or impossible to identify. Soldiers retrieve the tags from a body if possible during combat if unable to return with the dead soldier's body, as did Chief [[Galen Tyrol]] for soldiers [[Tarn]] and [[Crashdown]], for return to a superior officer later ([[Fragged]]).
Captain [[Aaron Kelly|Kelly]] is the somber recipient of nearly 85 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 ([[TRS]]: "[[Miniseries]]").


Captain [[Aaron Kelly|Kelly]] was the somber recipient of nearly 85 identification tags from dead ''[[Galactica (RDM)|Galactica]]'' crewmen trapped in the port [[flight pod]] when it was vented to space by order of Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] to prevent a catastrophic ship explosion ([[Mini-Series]]).
When [[Kara Thrace]] leaves [[Samuel Anders]] on Caprica to return to ''Galactica'', she gives him her tags as a promise of her return ([[TRS]]: "[[The Farm]]"), which she receives after their reunion ([[TRS]]: "[[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]").


When [[Kara Thrace|Starbuck]] had to leave [[Samuel Anders]] to return to ''Galactica'', she gave him her ID tags as a promise that she would return ([[The Farm]]), which she eventually did ([[Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I]]).
== Related imagery ==


==Note==
<gallery>
"Identification tags" is a descriptive term (not a [[canon|canonical]] name) created for the Battlestar Galactica Wikipedia.  Although they were referred to as "ID tags" in "[[Downloaded]]", it has yet to have been stated what their "official" name is. In "It is tempting, but technically incorrect, to use the colloquial American military term of "[[Wikipedia:Dog tag|dog tags]]" to describe these items as the tags are obviously similar in function to those used in the real-world United States military.
Image:NBSG_Colonial_ID_Tag1.jpg|[[Kara Thrace]]'s dog tag.
Image:Alex quartararo dog tag-watermarked.jpg|[[Alex Quartararo]]'s dog tag.
</gallery>


[[Category: A to Z]] [[Category: Colonial Military]] [[Category: Terminology]] [[Category: RDM]]
==Notes==
* In "[[Exodus, Part I]]", [[Samuel Anders]] refers to [[Sharon Agathon]]'s ID tags as "dog tags", establishing this modern military slang term in the BSG universe.
* Real-world practice is to take one tag for casualty registration and to leave the other with the remains for later recovery and identification. In some instances, personnel opt to wear two sets of tags in case of dismemberment.
 
[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Colonial]]
[[Category:Colonial Military]]
[[Category:Colonial Military (RDM)]]
[[Category:Terminology]]
[[Category:Terminology (RDM)]]
[[Category:RDM]]
 
[[de:Erkennungsmarke]]

Revision as of 13:54, 7 April 2010

Sharon Valerii's identification tags

All Colonial Fleet personnel wear hexagonal "dog tags" around their necks.

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

In the event of a servicemember's death, the tags on his or her body aid in identification, particularly if the 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 (TRS: "Valley of Darkness", "Fragged").

Captain Kelly is the somber recipient of nearly 85 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 (TRS: "Miniseries").

When Kara Thrace leaves Samuel Anders on Caprica to return to Galactica, she gives him her tags as a promise of her return (TRS: "The Farm"), which she receives after their reunion (TRS: "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 this modern military slang term in the BSG universe.
  • Real-world practice is to take one tag for casualty registration and to leave the other with the remains for later recovery and identification. In some instances, personnel opt to wear two sets of tags in case of dismemberment.