What is the history of ID bracelets?

ID bracelets, now worn by people of all ages, civilians and soldiers, have an interesting history. During the Second World War, those that served in the army had identification bracelets, which were as much a part of their uniforms as their canteens and weapons. At the time, ID bracelets were made of metal with engravings of their basic ID information, such as a soldier's name, rank, and serial #. In the beginning, men only wore their ID bracelets for the duration of the war, but when many of them kept wearing them when they came home from the war to signify their partaking in battle, ID bracelets became very fashionable pieces of jewelry. It was in the seventies when people who had not served in the military started donning ID bracelets with the names of MIA soldiers or POWs throughout the Korean and Vietnam Wars. These bracelets were most often made of silver, copper, or stainless steel. When a missing soldier came back home, he would receive an ID bracelet with his name on it from the loved ones who had worn them before he returned. If the body of the soldier was discovered, those who wore the ID bracelets would send them to his family. These days, ID bracelets are still worn, often for medical purposes, as the information engraved on an ID bracelet can save the lives of those with medical conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, heart disease, anemia, emphysema, epilepsy, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, insect allergies, food allergies, drug allergies, etc. These medical ID bracelets are highly recommended by healthcare professionals all over the world. In case of emergency, when one is not able to speak for himself, a medical identification bracelet can provide crucial, life saving information. It can also prevent misdiagnosis in emergency situations by means of the medical facts engraved in the ID bracelet. Nowadays, medical ID bracelets come in many different styles so anyone can find ID bracelets that will suit their taste – classic, expansion wristband, sport band, etc. Though they are a great idea for those with serious medical conditions, many people simply wear them because they are fashionable. Sterling silver and titanium are probably the most popular precious metals used for ID bracelets in our time.

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