New DoD ID for Families and Retirees
New DoD ID for Families and Retirees
Beginning on July 31, 2020, the Department of Defense (DoD) began issuing a new form of ID for family members and military retirees. These cards are used to access service benefits and privileges.
This begins the transition away from the paper-based ID card. These new cards will be more secure. They will be similar to the Common Access Card (CAC) issued to active military, Selected Reserve, and Defense civilian employees.
The “Next Generation Uniformed Services ID (USID) Card”
The new ID, called the Next Generation Uniformed Services ID (USID) card, was first issued at select DoD ID facilities this past July, with a phased plan of implementation to ALL DoD ID card facilities expected by December 2020.
The USID will be issued to retired and reserve members, dependent family members of Uniformed Services personnel, and other eligible individuals “in accordance with DoD policy to facilitate access to benefits, privileges, and DoD bases”, the DoD remarked in an online statement.
Your current ID card will remain valid through its expiration date. There’s no need to worry about losing access to your local base. In fact, the DoD made it clear that, in order to reduce the impact on ID card issuance facilities, cards will not be reissued solely for the purpose of obtaining the Next Generation USID card. If you, like me, have an indefinite (INDEF) expiration date on your current ID card, the DoD is advising that you wait until the summer of 2021 before attempting to obtain a Next Generation USID.
Most facilities do not have the capability to issue the new ID card at this time. They still need to upgrade their equipment and ensure their personnel are properly trained on the new card’s issuance. The pandemic has not made this roll-out any easier as many facilities have limited their operations out of safety concerns.
Where Can You Get a New ID Card?
Since the new ID is not yet widely available, contact your nearest ID card issuance facility, or use their Site Locator and Appointment Scheduler online at: https://idco.dmdc.osd.mil/idco/. There are over 1,500 facilities that issue ID cards today. By December 2020 all of them are expected to have the new card available.
ID Card Requirements
The only thing changing is the ID card, so two forms of ID will still be required. You can access the List of Acceptable Identity Documents to ensure you have what you need beforehand. One of your IDs must be an unexpired federal- or state-issued photo ID.
Still Have Questions?
If you still have questions and concerns regarding the issuance of the Next Generation USID, check out the FAQ section on the DoD’s CAC website.
If the FAQ section does not answer your question, contact the CAC directly: DoD Common Access Card > Contact.
(Image courtesy of Hongqi Zhang via www.123rf.com)
RELATED:
- TRICARE & FEDVIP Open Enrollment Begins [updated]
- TRICARE to Provide Free Physical Therapy for Low Back Pain
- Updates on Legislation Affecting Veterans in Congress
- VA Evaluates Environmental Hazards and Cancer Risk
- VA Partners with OnStar in Suicide Prevention
- New TRICARE Select Fees for Retirees
- COVID-19’s Impact on Military Retirees’ Compensation
About the author
Julie Provost is a freelance writer, and blogger. She lives in Tennessee with her National Guard husband and three boys.
