For those that have been in military -

I am sitting at my desk tonight - and one of the things that I have pinned to the little cork board on the book case, are my "dog tags" from the military. I guess it has been so long since I looked at them, I didn't remember everything that was one them. I can't speak for what information is on the "tags" today, but mine has name, SSN, branch of service, blood type, and religion. Thinking about that, if someone ever gave or lost their dog tags - someone would pretty much have all the information they needed to steal your identity. I still remember the day walking through the mobility line during Desert Shield/Storm the admin guy punching me a new set (I think I have 4-sets), getting the shots and the guy asking me if I drove a stick or an automatic (determined which cheek you got the chem warfare shot), limping to the truck and going home to sleep it off, It's kinda crazy the things that you remember from your past.

The funniest thing is - when I was applying for a job recently, one of the forms of ID they requested was my SSN. Heck - I don't even have a Social Security Card, so I sent them my DD-Form 214 (which also has your SSN) and told them that should suffice for any identification requirements.

When SS started the liars swore it would never be used as ID.

I can remember when people put it on their checks.

It’s on your honorable discharge certificate as well. Up until about fifteen years ago I didn’t think to much about it either but since I’ve had it whited out. My uncle whom retired from the Air Force in 80 would never give his out. I remember riding with him when I was in my teens and he got pulled over for speeding and the police officer was filling out the ticket and asked him for his ssn and my uncle said, “ my social security number is for social security purposes only and not a means of identification. That’s what my drivers license is for.” And he was right about that.

When I was in college they used your SS# for your student ID#.

Technically speaking, the SSN not a legal form of ID. That said, employers and insurance companies and many others treat it as such.

There was a bill in Congress years ago to make it illegal to request an SSN as an identifier, but it neve got passed

In Mississippi when I got my license in 1984, your SS# was your Driver License #.
Not sure now because I've been in Alabama since 1994.

GA also used the SSN as the driver’s license number at one point.

That makes you old. I know that cause mine had it too...

Under the Geneva convention, if captured, name, rank, serial number (social) were the only items to divulge. We didn't wear dog tags in CG aviation but, several guys had blood type somewhere on their flight helmets for just in case.

Used to be on Bama drivers liscense as well.

My wife and I have the same first 6 of 9 numbers. Very strange

Are your birthdays fairly close together...

Yeah, that was very recent.

On the old Alabama Uniform Traffic Accident Report Form that all agencies in the state had to use, the SSN was listed on the front of the report, as well as in Incident Reports and Arrest reports. These were the parts of the report that were Public Information. Copies were kept on a board that anyone could walk in and see.

One wise old officer shortly after I started refused to put SSNs on his reports. He caught a little flak, but not much from his supervisors. Soon we all followed his lead. Finally, the State revamped all the reports.

I teach at an elementary school and have always thought it would be easy pickens if you got a crocked secretary. They have access to all those SSN and could open up all these accounts. Those kids would not know for a good 15 plus years when they were adults.

4 months.

It was your holiday inn points club number and was on the points club cards they issued to customers back in the 1980’s. Freaked me out when I got mine.