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Archiver > TMG > 2003-06 > 1054510660


From: "John Cardinal" <>
Subject: RE: [TMG] Military Service
Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2003 19:38:52 -0400
In-Reply-To: <55.41065449.2c0bdd9f@aol.com>


wrote:
> I am a new user, so please excuse if the answer is obvious. I have found the
> Milit-Beg and Milit-End tags, but how do I enter the service branch, unit,
> rank, etc? Do I add new Milit-Beg and Milit-End tags when the person changes
> rank or unit?

Vic,

I can think of three choices:

1. Enter multiple Milit-Beg/Milit-End tags, one for each rank/unit or however
you choose to break down the military service into distinct periods. Add the
rank/unit information into the memo of each tag.

2. Add a custom tag for military service ("Milit-Serv"?), where a single tag is
used to capture a period of service. Enter multiple of those tags, one for each
rank/unit or however you choose to break down the military service into distinct
periods. Add the rank/unit information into the memo of each tag. The date for
the tag should be a range in the general form of "From date1 to date2".

(Option 2 is a variant of option 1 where you will create half as many tags. See
page 61 of Getting the Most Out of TMG for a pertinent example.)

3. Add a single Milit-Serv tag where the details are covered in the memo. Again,
the date should be a range.

Which of the three you choose is up to you. If analysis of military service is
an important part of your research, you might choose #1 or #2. If you are more
interested in making a good narrative, #3 might be a better choice.

A fourth options is to combine two of the above, especially if you want to be
able to do analysis but are dissatisfied with the resulting narrative. You could
exclude the sentences for the multiple Milit-Beg/Milit-End tags, and add a note
or Milit-Serv tag with an all-inclusive narrative.

Hope this helps.

John

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