Medals and dog tags

[baronius]

OK, so I know you're not allowed to wear crosses or any kind of religious medals during boot camp. Once graduated from boot camp though, are you allowed to wear a crucifix or medal on the same chain as your dog tags? When do you get your dog tags anyway? Do you wear them during boot camp? (Do they call them "dog tags" in the Marine Corps? That's the only word I've heard for them).

Thanks!

[davblay]

OK, so I know you're not allowed to wear crosses or any kind of religious medals during boot camp. Once graduated from boot camp though, are you allowed to wear a crucifix or medal on the same chain as your dog tags? When do you get your dog tags anyway? Do you wear them during boot camp? (Do they call them "dog tags" in the Marine Corps? That's the only word I've heard for them).

Thanks!

You get your ID Tags during the first few days fo processing along with your ID CARD, and yes you wear them on your person at all times! When you reach the Fleet I don't believe I would wear anything else on the same chain, but that will be between you and your leaders. I know some men wore religious medals on seperate chains when I was in Nam, but Some 1st Sgts and such did not like it very much. I am not sure as to the regulations, but I am sure someone on this net will!

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

We didn't get our dog tags until near the end of boot camp. I have no idea what the current regulations are on them.

In the fleet I usually had a St. Michael's medal on- sometimes on a seperate chain other times on the chain with my dog tags. Nobody ever had a problem with it, including at least two full birds that inspected me during the time.

[5footNinja]

Was this question ever answered?

[ChuckH]

This thread is 5 years old....

[wilsontc11]

Was this question ever answered?

It depends on your chain of command. If you wear it on your dog tags, noone will ever be able to notice it / see it anyway so i dont think it'd matter. Alot of guys in my unit wear religious medals around the neck, and dog tags are just dummy corded to a belt loop and put in a pocket.

see, isn't that so much more useful / relevant than saying "This thread is 5 years old"?

[Sgt Leprechaun]

1: 'Dog tags' are no longer issued in Recruit training. They are made when you get to your first FMF unit.

2: Trying to wear 'religious' medals on your Dog tag chain will just get in the way, and sometimes cause the chain to break, thus losing both the medal and the tag. Best to figure something else out. They also are a real pain after a while.

[Sadeghian]

Ok so I went through boot camp 20110822-20111118, not to step on any toes but I believe I might have the most recent experience.
We got our dog tags during 3rd phase in team week and we set it up on the chains and stuff then we put them in the pocket of our marine week cammies (which also had our mcninja belts) and didn't wear them until marine week. all of the recruits that wanted a religious symbol to wear got it from the PX or the chaplain and it came on the same style chain as the dog tags. they were allowed to wear them all of the time except for PT and inspections. hope I helped. If things have changed since I went through please feel free to correct me, I would love to learn about the changes so I stop giving wrong info