Importance of the Miltary Id

The Importance of the Military I.D.

A United States Uniformed Services Privilege and Identification Card (also known as U.S. military ID, Geneva Conventions Identification Card, or less commonly abbreviated USPIC) is an identity document issued by the United States Department of Defense to identify a person as a member of the Armed Forces or a member's dependent, such as a child or spouse.

The card is used to control access to military bases, exclusive stores (such as AAFES and NEX outlets and commissaries), Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) facilities, and high-security areas. It also serves as proof of eligibility for medical care delivered either directly within the military health system or outside via TRICARE. The modern identification card is called a Common Access Card (CAC) because it is also a smart card that is used with specialized card readers for automatic building access control systems, communications encryption, and computer access.

In Army regulation 670-1 it requires that soldiers carry a military-issued identification card at all times, whether in or out of uniform. It also mandates that soldiers traveling or living overseas wear dog tags at all times (even in civilian clothing), and states that every soldier in uniform must include them as part of their duty uniforms.

Military Identification Cards are essential and have many reasons for being used. It gives you access to all your benefits and without it you may not be able to get on base, go to the commissary, enroll in child care, or get proper health care. ID cards and dog tags are generally required components of military uniforms. Military ID cards are required to travel on and off military installations, access commissaries and Post Exchanges and serve as an indication of a service member's rank, branch of service and the Geneva Convention Category he/she falls under. Dog tags (also called identification tags) serve to convey a service member's name, Social Security number, blood...