The MW4 DMZ Prestige Operator screen: earn 18 Trait Points, equip rare gear (weapon, plate carrier, backpack, printer ingredients) and $200,000 required cash, all ticked — Screenshot: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 © Activision (enhanced)

MW4 DMZ Operators

MW4 DMZ Dog Tags: Levels, Case and Bounties

Every Operator carries a Dog Tag. It shows how far that Operator has progressed, their Bounty and how many rival Operators they have killed. You can check it in your Loadout. It levels up through 18 ranks, from Steel I to Onyx III, and rivals can take it from you.

Last updated October 22, 2026Game version: Pre-launch (official intel, October 2026)

Dog Tag levels

Earning DMZ XP with an Operator raises their Dog Tag level, and each new level gives that Operator one Trait Point. A strong run can raise it more than once.

Tier	Levels
Steel	Steel I, Steel II, Steel III
Bronze	Bronze I, Bronze II, Bronze III
Silver	Silver I, Silver II, Silver III
Gold	Gold I, Gold II, Gold III
Damascus	Damascus I, Damascus II, Damascus III
Onyx	Onyx I, Onyx II, Onyx III

An Operator's Dog Tag level and your DMZ Player Level are separate: the Dog Tag belongs to one Operator, the player level to you. What to spend the 18 Trait Points on is in the MW4 DMZ trait tree guide, and what happens after Onyx III is in the Operator Prestige guide.

Losing your Dog Tag

If your Operator dies, a rival can take your Dog Tag. When they exfil with it, it goes into their Dog Tag Case. An MIA Operator you bring back to Active Duty gets their Dog Tag back.

The Dog Tag Case

The Dog Tag Case station opens at DMZ Player Level 20. The Dog Tag Case is a FOB station that shows the Dog Tags you took from players and exfilled with: each tag's rarity, the player's name, who killed them, and the time and date. You can favorite the ones you want to keep.

Later DMZ levels upgrade the Dog Tag Case to pay more for Bounties, and 3D Printer upgrades add slots to it.

Dog Tags and Bounties

Your first player kill puts a Bounty on your Dog Tag, and 4 player kills make you Wanted. Other players claim it with your Dog Tag:

To collect, kill the target and exfil with their Dog Tag. The payout follows their Bounty level, with extra at the top Wanted level, and your cut goes into your Bank after exfil.
You die and do not exfil: your Bounty and your Wanted level are gone.
Another player takes your Dog Tag and exfils with it, even if your squad revives you after the kill.
You pay it off yourself with DMZ Cash at a Bounty Station in Hajin.

The rest of the Bounty rules, and how to stay out of player fights, are in the DMZ PvE or PvP guide.

Lieutenant Dog Tag Cases

Every Lieutenant drops a Dog Tag Case when killed. Picking it up shows your position on every player's Tac Map, so a fast exfil is the safe move. Exfil with it to move your Boss Board along, whether you killed the Lieutenant or took the case from another player.

The MW4 DMZ Boss Board: Lieutenant cards for Jin-tae, The Doctor, Bale and Iskra with $10,000 rewards and Dog Tag challenges — The Boss Board in the FOB, where Lieutenant Dog Tag Cases move your progress along. Screenshot: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 © Activision (enhanced) View full size

One of the DMZ Mastery Camo challenges asks you to exfil with 2 Lieutenant Dog Tags in a single deployment, 50 times. Where Lieutenants roam and how dangerous they are is in the DMZ threat levels and enemies guide.

Questions

What are Dog Tags in MW4 DMZ?

Every Operator carries a Dog Tag. It shows how far that Operator has progressed, their Bounty and how many rival Operators they have killed. You can check it in your Loadout.

What are the Dog Tag levels in MW4 DMZ?

There are 18: Steel, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Damascus and Onyx, each with levels I to III. Every level gives the Operator one Trait Point, so Onyx III means all 18.

When does the Dog Tag Case unlock?

At DMZ Player Level 20. The Dog Tag Case is a FOB station that shows the Dog Tags you took from players and exfilled with: each tag's rarity, the player's name, who killed them, and the time and date. You can favorite the ones you want to keep.

What happens to my Dog Tag when I die?

If your Operator dies, a rival can take your Dog Tag. When they exfil with it, it goes into their Dog Tag Case. An MIA Operator you bring back to Active Duty gets their Dog Tag back.