What if saving a veteran's life could be as simple as a 40-cent dog tag? That's exactly what Ben Guinan and Robert Adamczyk from Dog Tags 4 Life are doing with their groundbreaking suicide prevention initiative.
The program began after a sobering moment during a national veterans' organization meeting when one member had to abruptly leave because a fellow post member had attempted suicide. Another participant mentioned experiencing a similar tragedy just weeks earlier. This reality check sparked a crucial question: How many veterans even know about the new 988+1 crisis line that launched in July 2022? After informal polling revealed almost no awareness, Dog Tags 4 Life was born.
Their approach is beautifully simple – military-style dog tags engraved with "Veterans Crisis Line - Dial 988 Then Press 1 - You're Not Alone." Veterans can wear them or attach them to keychains, creating both a visual and tactile reminder that help is always available. What started as a modest effort has exploded into a nationwide movement with over 55,000 tags distributed across 48 states.
The impact has been profound. One mother shared how her son called to say goodbye, intending to end his life. Seeing the dog tag on her desk, she frantically told him, "Dial 988, then press 1!" He made the call, and counselors kept him on the line until his post commander arrived. Another veteran wrote simply, "I held onto this dog tag physically. I heard it jingling, and that's why I made the call. Thank you for saving my life."
Perhaps most impressive is the organization's efficiency—operating with just three volunteer board members, it ensures every donation goes directly toward producing and shipping more tags. There are no salaries or massive overhead, just a direct pipeline getting life-saving resources into veterans' hands.
Visit DT4life.org to donate or request tags for the veterans in your life. For just pennies, you could provide the reminder that saves someone during their darkest moment.