A soldier gave me his dog tags

My friend went on leave after being an Afghanistan for 3 months. The day before he left to go back for a year, he gave me his dog tags and had me promise that if he were to fall in combat, I would live on, live on for the both of us. This felt like such...

an honor to be presented his dog tags. Is this a common thing for soldiers to do?

I want to join the army ,like what your friend is doing, my only hold backs is im too young and I have this friend, she don't want me to go at all because she couldn't imagine me out of her life.
Your friend is coming back after having served for a while, but now is going away again for a year, in a different world like that you never know what might go wrong or what might be a terrible thing, he doesn't know whats gonna happen, he just probably needs to let you know that before he goes away that you have the last remaining part of him with you.. I bet you is a special friend to your soldier friend, thats why hes left giving you his dogtags, you get what im saying?
keep em' don't let go of em'

yes sometimes it is common. especially if there is a strong friendship between you and the other person.

We've known each other two years, we met in our high school JROTC program. We had a talk when he came home, he really opened up and confided in me some of the stuff that has gone on over there. I think he chose me bc I didn't judge him, thought of him the same as before, treated him as a human, not as a killing machine as some have called him. I hung his tags on my door so I see them every time I leave my room, sometimes say a little prayer, I think I might add a yellow ribbon and his picture as well. It might start looking like a memorial though

Yes its very common for a Military personell to give their Dog Tag to someone due to a lot of reasons an I had several extras made up when I was in the Marines for Family an others would show them off by wearing them for the one they loved an cared for an at times it made it seem that it gave some comfort that they was special to have the Dog Tags an so forth.

Yes, I believe its quite common for all military personell to have a strong bond and friendship to give dog tags to those who they love and care fore.
It just shows your friend really cares enough to give those tags to you since neither you or him know what to expect while he's overseas. His dog tags will be something you'll cherrish forever.
Pray that he'll be okay and always think of him. Those tags and a picture might look like a mamorrial but at least he'll be part of you.
Soldiers like that are sweet and very generous.

the only problem I would have with that is if he were to fall in combat without his dog tags he might not be able to be identified

He had new ones made