A DBIDS card, or Defense Biometric Identification System card, is a credential that allows access to military installations by verifying a person’s identity through biometrics:
How it works
A DBIDS card is scanned at installation entry points, and the system uses a wireless handheld device to check criminal and military data sources.
Purpose:
The DBIDS system increases security for military installations by controlling access to controlled information, facilities, and areas.
Who can get a DBIDS card?
DBIDS cards are issued to designated populations, including civilian retirees.
Requirements are unique to each installation. At Pearl Harbor/Hickam, I needed to fill out a Navy form. At the Marine Corps base, they just plugged my Real ID driver license into the keyboard and an access card printed out in a couple of minutes. Army had it’s own form.
It/they get me access to the MWR facilities; golf courses, auto shop, … My wife is retired Army and Air Force Exchange civilian so I get yet another card for access to the PX, gas, …
Dammit, everyone in the chain of issuing the cards was pissed. We had a retiree CAC that did all that stuff. Someone from hell decided to throw all that away (biometrics, security history, photos) for this disjointed crap.
I had a military dependent ID from the moment I was first allowed to have one at age 10. Before that I had to sneak into the base exchange to be able to buy candy and comic books. At that time they checked ID at the entrance but not at the point-of-sale, at least not for a kid. Anyway, when I was 9 years old I would wait for their attention to be diverted at the entrance and then dash in.
I had a dependent ID until I graduated from college. While in college, I also had a reserve (pink) military ID because I was in NROTC. Then when I graduated I had an active-duty military ID. When I left active duty I had yet another ID as a reservist, which only entitled me to base privileges for a year or so after I left active duty. When I finally resigned my commission following my mandatory service in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), I had had a military ID of one form or another for most of my life up to that point (nearly 30 years). But then I had none.
Thanks smithsb. Problem out here is that the base is in the middle of nowhere, about 30 miles or so from where I live. Can’t think of many things here on base worth the drive.
AAFES’ web commerce site is available to all vets, not just retirees.
Not sure it has any advantage over Amazon, Kohls, Target, etc. But it is out there. For sure it has a better selection than your local physical BX wherever you might be.
I don’t know what today’s policy is, but it used to be that if you bought an item at AAFES and then found a cheaper price elsewhere, AAFES would refund the difference if you brought the ad to the store.
To the best of my knowledge, it will NOT get me commissary access. I admit, I’ve never tried this; it will definitely get me on base without the need to go through a lot of paperwork hoops. Getting the initial CAC can, thus, be a bit of a pain, as I found out when I joined a DoD project a few years back. When it was renewed, it was much easier - I just showed my expiring CAC and went right onto the base.
There’s a major military installation quite near where I live; I suppose I could try, but I’d feel like a fraud, and it’s not worth the extra drive.
I’m curious about something the OP said. They said their wife was a CWO2 and had been in the Army for five years. That’s a pretty short time for a CWO (unless they’re helicopter pilots, I guess).
For retirees, there is, or used to be, an option of getting an ID card issued or renewed by mail in exceptional circumstances, such as being over a certain distance from an ID card issuing facility.
I have never once found a military exchange to be a better deal than Walmart or an equivalent non-military big box store, but perhaps you’ll have better luck. Maybe it’s a good deal if you live in New York, LA, or Chicago?
Very cool! She should go for the Veteran’s card. And, of course, sign up on shopmyexchange. I just discussed the online Exachange service with my sister and her husband a week ago as he’s a veteran (not retiree). I’m a retiree so I get to use my military ID card.
Outing my wife’s name, but it’s the only photo I have (out of H-60 Black Hawk in Action – I added the highlight and her name way back when I still had a webpage… like 1999.)
When my father was active duty I had a military dependent ID.
When my father retired with 20+ years, I kept my military dependent ID. (Good until I was 21, or 26 if in university)
Then I went to Basic Training (at 20) they collected my dependent ID and gave me an active duty ID.
When I completed active duty training, and returned to my reserve unit (and college), I had enlisted with, they collected my active duty ID and gave me a reserve ID - which had far more limited benefits than my dependent ID.
Dependent ID is good 365 a year, reservist only when on active time - so the golf course, the wood working shop, the bowling alley, the tax free stores, the clubs (at the time federal drinking age was 18, but the state was 21) but also health care - were also much more limited.
This seemed unfair to me, and i complained to my supervisor; and it kept getting kicked upstairs…
Until one morning, my Airman 1st Class self and the Full Coronal base commander had a meeting.
I was getting no traction; until I made a point that by joining the military, I had actually lost privileges.
He walked with me to the ID office, and ‘instructed’ them to give me a dependent ID, in addition to my Reserve ID.
Bit of a commercial for the Air Force; an E4 will be heard, if they have rational case.
But when I completed college, I was no longer entitled to the Dependent ID.
And then I left the reserves short of 20 service, I returned the Reserve ID
I had a similar situation, except that when I got my first non-dependent ID I never mentioned the fact that I already had a dependent ID. I figured what they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt, and I was pretty sure the bureaucracy for an Army dependent wouldn’t talk to those in the Navy (and this was back in the ‘80s before widespread computer networks).
This came in handy when I wanted to use the base facilities while on active duty for training for NROTC. Everyone else had to carry around a copy of their orders to present with their pink reserve ID to get into the exchange or commissary. I just pulled out my dependent ID instead.
I also took advantage of my dual status for free travel back home to visit my family. Military dependents in college were eligible for one free round trip per year back home, even overseas if that’s where your parents were living. And NROTC would do the same at the completion of summer training. So I got the Navy to fly me on a commercial air flight from San Diego to Germany after my summer training was completed, and then the Army paid for me to fly back to the states to return for college.
Nice to hear that someone with authority in the military used their head, stuck their neck out, and did the right thing.
How limited is base access for visitors with a military ID? Are you allowed to visit the stores only?
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Obviously wandering onto the flight line would get security called.
Can you visit friends in base housing or the barracks?
I remember my dad taking me to work a few times. I had to stay in his office. The flight line was too dangerous.
