G.I. Microchip

Old tags are for the dogs

First they start phasing out the classic Army Jeep in favor of a zippier modern vehicle. Now, if the Soldiers' Data Tag Task Force at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis has its way, the G.I.'s stamped metal dog tag will be replaced by a plastic wafer that only a computer can read and only an engineer could love.

The prototype, developed by Datakey Inc., located near Minneapolis, is about the same size as an old-fashioned dog tag. Saw-toothed on the edges and made of chocolate-colored plastic, it contains an embedded magnetic bit on which information about a soldier can be electronically recorded and, as needed, scanned by means of a portable microcomputer. Carrying the scanning device into the field, a medic could review a wounded soldier's complete medical history before administering drugs; a platoon leader might check out a soldier's pay or disciplinary record.

The Army is vague about particulars: the tags could cost anywhere from $5 to $30 apiece; some squads will begin wearing the chips, possibly in two years.

But the Army is apparently enthusiastic about the space-saving potential. "We've got too much paper," says Chris Occhialini, head of the task force, and too many "clerical personnel." In a war, the Army needs to move medical and personnel information instantly. "Today we can't get it as fast as we'd like," says Occhialini. With the new, data-rich tags, each soldier in effect would carry his folders as he fights. This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.