# Question for anyone in Virginia who works on defense contracts (CAC question) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 10, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-in-virginia-who-works-on-defense-contracts-cac-question/825910 "2018-12-10T20:13:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-in-virginia-who-works-on-defense-contracts-cac-question/825910/1 "2018-12-10T20:13:26Z")
Anybody here located in northern Virginia and has a CAC? I have a question about CAC renewal. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-in-virginia-who-works-on-defense-contracts-cac-question/825910/2 "2018-12-10T21:09:22Z")
Since the OP is asking for personal advice, let’s move this to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2018, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-in-virginia-who-works-on-defense-contracts-cac-question/825910/3 "2018-12-11T11:03:52Z")
I dont live in NoVA but I have a CAC. What is your question? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2018, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-in-virginia-who-works-on-defense-contracts-cac-question/825910/4 "2018-12-11T11:10:51Z")
I live in NoVA, have a CAC, and work in DC. What’s your question? ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2018, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-in-virginia-who-works-on-defense-contracts-cac-question/825910/5 "2018-12-11T12:52:09Z")
I assume the OP is looking for sites in the area where the card can be renewed. ---
**Author:** ![fedman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/278dde/32.png) [@fedman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-in-virginia-who-works-on-defense-contracts-cac-question/825910/6 "2018-12-12T02:38:54Z")
when you got your CAC card, was it in VA? If not, your agency should know (security, HR) where . CAC is mostly military, so there are several bases, maybe Alexandria ---
**Author:** ![JB99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JB99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JB99)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-in-virginia-who-works-on-defense-contracts-cac-question/825910/7 "2018-12-12T03:39:01Z")
This is a question for your program manager. There is absolutely no reason to be asking random internet people about your CAC card. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-in-virginia-who-works-on-defense-contracts-cac-question/825910/8 "2018-12-12T03:47:21Z")
I think CAC is [a Common Access Card](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Access_Card), for anyone else who’s been wondering. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-in-virginia-who-works-on-defense-contracts-cac-question/825910/9 "2018-12-12T05:31:17Z")
Don’t have one currently but have in the past (my current credentials are through a civilian agency). If you need to get a new one, it’s pretty easy around here; use [this site](https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/appj/site?execution=e1s1) to get lists of agencies. I’ve tended to use one at Fort Belvoir - fairly easy access, and usually fairly fast service. Other sites, you can’t even get onsite if you don’t have a current CAC. You’ll need to have two forms of ID with you. I think the existing CAC counts as one (if it’s not expired); I used my driver’s license and a student ID from the community college once; a passport would work as well. Any other questions, I can’t help you with; basically the DoD agency has to do a lot of paperwork on your behalf, then they give you the documents and you go to a site and you’re done. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-in-virginia-who-works-on-defense-contracts-cac-question/825910/10 "2018-12-12T17:24:19Z")
Nevermind, sorry. I wasn’t able to delete my OP, so now I feel I owe you guys an explanation at least. 🙂 I had a momentary panic because the CAC my company made me get just two weeks ago (our admin fought that and lost) expires this Friday and they were telling me that everybody’s CAC expires on Dec 15th and there’s no grace period for getting them renewed. I was like WTH? how can they possibly process CAC expirations for thousands of people (all military and contractors) on the same day? Turns out what they meant was that everybody _in this company_ expires, not **everybody**. Oddly they didn’t even pick up on my misunderstanding when I questioned that. My panic was because no appointments are available on such short notice and I didn’t know what the wait would be like for walk-ins… particularly when several thousand military and contractors had to renew on the same day (my misconception). It all worked out, though in the end, and my CAC is renewed as of this morning. I’m always befuddled at how communication can be so hard at times. LOL! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-anyone-in-virginia-who-works-on-defense-contracts-cac-question/825910/11 "2018-12-12T17:40:53Z")
All’s well that ends well!