Tucked away in a small, nondescript facility at Fort Knox lies a crucial operation in the US military supply chain — the AAFES Name Tape Plant. This factory manufactures nearly every name tag worn by service members across the US Armed Forces.
With just 17 employees, the plant produces up to 3,000 name tapes each day and as many as 60,000 a month for soldiers stationed around the world. Each tape passes through a meticulous manufacturing process that blends craftsmanship with industrial efficiency.
Business Insider visited the plant to see how these essential uniform elements are made and meet the skilled workers whose pride and precision help shape a symbol of identity worn by every US service member.
00:00 - Intro
01:31 - Name Tapes May See Combat
02:05 - The Staff
03:13 - Making a Cloth Name Tape
07:29 - Making an Engraved Name Plate
09:46 - Challenges
11:30 - Shipping Final Product
12:26 - Soldiers' Feelings About Their Name Tapes
13:35 - History of Name Tapes
14:17 - Pride in A...
Tags, Events, and Projects