Articles have an added value beyond their informative or commercial functions. They can inspire interactions with a community on a deeper level. Often, military members and veterans are reticent to discuss their military service. Preserving these materials helps families understand what their loved ones went through and fills an empty chapter of the family legacy.
Preserving Legacies
Army name plates are a crucial component of military uniforms. They ensure that each Armed Forces member can be identified, even in the most challenging situations. Whether deployed overseas or at home, they help soldiers stay safe and connected to their families.
These prefabricated, engraved plastic Army name plates (DA 670-1) conform to official standards and are made in the USA. They are black with white lettering and have dual postbacking. Accent marks and hyphens will be allowed on army nameplates, which helps ensure that names are pronounced correctly.
Celebrating Military Service
A military nameplate is more than just an identification tag for many service members. It’s a reminder of their time in the military and an opportunity to honor those who came before them.
Award Ceremony: Whether a significant event with a guest speaker or a small, private gathering, award ceremonies are unique for those honored. Awarded individuals are recognized for their career accomplishments and are given a chance to thank their family, friends, and colleagues.
Military Parades and Review: A longstanding tradition, military parades are a way for a commander to review his troops during a formal procession. A review typically occurs when a new commander takes command of an organization or to celebrate an individual’s retirement.
A recent change to the Army Green Service Uniform has allowed Soldiers to wear their military name plates with the uniform. The nameplates are shatterproof and mar-resistant plastic* with a non-glare matte finish. In addition, accent marks and hyphens will be allowed to ensure that names are correctly pronounced.
Educating the Public
Many veterans and their families are unsure what to do with their military service materials. Keeping them could risk further deterioration, or getting rid of them is difficult due to sentiment and attachment to a loved one. Rather than disposing of these materials, they can donate them to a national archive that preserves and makes veterans’ oral histories and original documents accessible.
One such archive is the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress. When curating an exhibit on Native American veterans, I was struck by the fact that many cited a family legacy of military service as their motivation for enlistment. These soldiers often served at Army installations and hailed from many tribes.
Their experiences were as diverse as their heritage and cultural backgrounds. These stories offer a window into the Army experience at a grassroots level. These collections serve as more than just records of veterans’ lives; they help us better understand our country.
Inspiring Future Generations
Whether service members, veterans, or their families choose to retain military materials that tell their family’s story, they can be preserved and shared with future generations. Often, these collections fill in an empty chapter of the family history.
For example, the dog tag of Army medic Charles McDaniel, one of the 7,800 American service members who are still unaccounted for in North Korea, provided his family with a long sought-after piece of closure. The family learned more about their father’s bravery and sacrifice through his Army dog tags, and they have now been shared with thousands of others.
In addition to the archival value of personal items, such as rank insignia and unit crests, correctly placing them on a uniform is essential for maintaining a professional appearance and upholding military tradition. It is also a reminder of the commitment to serve with honor. These kinds of stories can inspire future generations to follow in the footsteps of their military ancestors.
