What military ID are we suppose to get? Commisary privs?

[futura]

Afit says a red ID card. What is that?

Do we have privs to commissary and exchange on base with this ID card?

I can't find the answer on afit.edu

I want some CHEAP food.

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[psychbender]

You're HPSP? You should get a CAC (Common Access Card). If you're in DEERS, you should be able find a base or Reserve station near you that can make you an ID. Call ahead, and bring your papers. Yes, you would be able to get on base, and go to the commissary and exchange with a CAC.

 

[futura]

You're HPSP? You should get a CAC (Common Access Card). If you're in DEERS, you should be able find a base or Reserve station near you that can make you an ID. Call ahead, and bring your papers. Yes, you would be able to get on base, and go to the commissary and exchange with a CAC.

CAC? I thought that was only for ACtives. or if u had prior military experience.

I aked the questions because that was the card that was orrignally issued to me.. a CAC. with the micro chip.

I had problems accesing the on base computer so I had to head to MPF.

They took my card and said I was NOT suppose to have that card but instead issued me some green card w/ NO commissary access.

whats up w/ that. pls help

 

[DogFaceMedic]

CAC? I thought that was only for ACtives. or if u had prior military experience.

I aked the questions because that was the card that was orrignally issued to me.. a CAC. with the micro chip.

I had problems accesing the on base computer so I had to head to MPF.

They took my card and said I was NOT suppose to have that card but instead issued me some green card w/ NO commissary access.

whats up w/ that. pls help

It sounds like some lazy contractor/bureaucrat told you some nonsense. Everyone gets a CAC. And, even if you just keep the old green card, full commisary priviledges are for everyone reserve or active. Just go into the commissary and buy stuff; they'll ask to see your ID and that is all.

You need someone who knows the system locally. Are there any prior-service HPSP students at your school? Or medical recruiter who can/should help?

 

[psychbender]

The Reserve station nearest me tried to pull similar crap. A few of us went up there to get our IDs, and the guy said that since we are Reservists, we could only get the green cards. We took the cards with some grumbling, I went to Quantico when visiting family a few months later, and got a CAC without any difficulty. And yeah, the green card should still give you access to bases and base facilities.

 

[StarboardMD]

I got the green card as well. Haven't tried to see if it will get me on a base or not, but I'll be psyched if I get commisary privileges!

 

[futura]

It sounds like some lazy contractor/bureaucrat told you some nonsense. Everyone gets a CAC. And, even if you just keep the old green card, full commisary priviledges are for everyone reserve or active. Just go into the commissary and buy stuff; they'll ask to see your ID and that is all.

You need someone who knows the system locally. Are there any prior-service HPSP students at your school? Or medical recruiter who can/should help?

LOL It was a contractor who told me that.

Yeah when I had the CAC, I just showed the commissary folk that card.

They ( contractors) told me that if I had comissary privs.. the green card would have some sort of marking on the bottom.

I assume that the commisaary will never check those markings on this green card?

Any suggestions on getting my CAC card BACK.

 

[psychbender]

Never heard of markings on the bottom of a green ID card.

Just go to a base, and say you need a new card. Bring your paperwork and old card. They should (key word there) give you a new CAC.

 

[realysa]

i thought hpsp students get the green card because we're in the reserves.

it's only when you perform the 45 day adt can you get the cac.

for me, i went to the id office, with my greenie and orders, and traded in for a cac. the employee told me when i finish the adt i have to come back and trade the cac for the greenie again.

interestingly, when i did this last year, the cac was valid for only 45 days (expiry date), but this year the cac is valid for 3 years. so, i am not going to trade in. i'll just wait until graduation, when i have to get a new card.

 

[DD214_DOC]

CAC is for active duty.

 

[psychbender]

I was informed that the CAC is for everyone. When I got my CAC, there was no mention of it being for while I'm active duty only, and having to turn it in for the green one when my ADT is over. Many of the other students here on HPSP have been picking up their CACs while Reserve status.

Also, I thought the green cards were supposed to be getting phased out, and no one (well, other than cadets, I think) would get them. Even the Guard Reservists I know here have CACs.

 

[futura]

hmm. this is all very very interesting.

Now I'm not happy they took my CAC away.

What paper work did u guys bring in?

 

[SquidDoc]

When I was at OIS a couple of years ago, they took my green card and issued me the CAC (the one with the microchip), knowing full well that I was a reservist. They said that they are trying to phase out use of the green card and get everyone the same newer style ID. My ID says nothing at all about being a reservist...

 

[futura]

When I was at OIS a couple of years ago, they took my green card and issued me the CAC (the one with the microchip), knowing full well that I was a reservist. They said that they are trying to phase out use of the green card and get everyone the same newer style ID. My ID says nothing at all about being a reservist...

I have heard that as well.

If this is ALL TRUE.. THen why all this miscommunication????

 

[psychbender]

If this is ALL TRUE.. THen why all this miscommunication????

It's the military.

 

[psychbender]

As for papers, bring in your copy of your oath and any other papers you have regarding your commissioning. If you are currently on ADT (which, I gather you are not), bring a copy of your orders.

 

[SquidDoc]

I have heard that as well.

If this is ALL TRUE.. THen why all this miscommunication????

If it is killing you to not have the special new ID, then just go to another base, go to PSD with your commissioning paperwork, and tell them that your Command wanted you to get an ID card because all you have is the old green one.

 

[cyclegirl]

I was issued a CAC card and it does not expire for 3 years. I got it at a marine corps base before I left for OIS. I have had people tell me that we are all supposed to have the ones with the micro chip. At OIS this summer they told us that we will always have commissary and exchange privileges even when we are not doing AD time. But the people in my OIS class that arrived without ID cards were issued the green card and they were able to use the exchange with them.

 

[MedicalCorpse]

Originally Posted by futura:
If this is ALL TRUE.. THen why all this miscommunication????

It's the military.

Your Department of Lack of Communication Department at work for you...a fully funded subsidiary of the military Department of Redundancy Department Department. After a few more years, you'll be quite familiar with the Tri-Service Department of Lack of Retention Department. Don't ever say we didn't warn you...

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R
http://www.medicalcorpse.com

 

[SquidDoc]

Your Department of Lack of Communication Department at work for you...a fully funded subsidiary of the military Department of Redundancy Department Department. After a few more years, you'll be quite familiar with the Tri-Service Department of Lack of Retention Department. Don't ever say we didn't warn you...

--
R
http://www.medicalcorpse.com

Kinda hard to warn someone that is already knee-deep, wouldn't you concur?

If you have ever worked with any agency, business, community, etc. whose most senior member had been at that command/location for 1.9 years, then you have worked with a military equivalent. There lies our problem. Nobody in the military stays in one location or job more than a couple of years, and thus nobody knows what the hell is going on. "Been there dun that" is totally off the table, and it is not a military specific problem...although the military is a prime example. If the military could somehow manage to keep the good players in the game...all the way down the chain...then there would be some sort of continuity. The good ones go in, GTFO, and thats that. There are few exceptions to the rule, such as a CDR at NMCSD, an ENT that has been there for 8 years...I am still not sure how he managed to swing that.

And medicalcorpse, I am not sure if you knew this, but after a read through your website, I realized something about your 19 years of service without a pension. If you were to take a job with the VA, even part-time for a year or more, you could use your military time to count towards your retirement. It will cost you...probably around 7 or 8 grand to get your time accredited in the VA system, but you could salvage your time in the military and retire early. I know that you are probably making 4 times as much as a civilian anesthesiologist, but thought that I should at least mention this, in the slim chance that you did not already know about this. I knew a guy that got out of the military at 14 years because he just could not tolerate it anymore. He took a job with the VA, then he paid around 5 grand to have his time accredited, and he retired early. The VA just took 200 out of his paychecks until the amount was paid in full, and when he reached retirement age, after only 6 or 7 years in the VA system, he retired.

 

[MedicalCorpse]

Kinda hard to warn someone that is already knee-deep, wouldn't you concur?

And medicalcorpse, I am not sure if you knew this, but after a read through your website, I realized something about your 19 years of service without a pension. If you were to take a job with the VA, even part-time for a year or more, you could use your military time to count towards your retirement. It will cost you...probably around 7 or 8 grand to get your time accredited in the VA system, but you could salvage your time in the military and retire early. I know that you are probably making 4 times as much as a civilian anesthesiologist, but thought that I should at least mention this, in the slim chance that you did not already know about this. I knew a guy that got out of the military at 14 years because he just could not tolerate it anymore. He took a job with the VA, then he paid around 5 grand to have his time accredited, and he retired early. The VA just took 200 out of his paychecks until the amount was paid in full, and when he reached retirement age, after only 6 or 7 years in the VA system, he retired.

Yes, I do realize the above. When the VA finally gets around to making a determination on my C&P status for my service-connected disabilities (plural), I will post to this forum exactly why this option is not viable for me.

Currently, I have been given notice that I have 9 days to submit a "certified" copy of my DD214 to the VA, or else they will summarily deny my claim. When I called the VA to ask what they meant by "certification", given that 1) they could request an official copy online 2) I sent them a copy which I certified, under penalty of perjury, to be correct 3) I was not about to send them my original 4) Copies 5 and 6 of my DD214 were submitted to the Director of the VA of my state, and the national VA HQ, respectively, in June, 2005, I was told by the helpful VA person on the phone the following: "I'm already 12 minutes into a phone call...we're going round and round...the VA certifies it when they see the flimsy sheet of paper (onionskin)." When I eventually speak to her supervisor, and explain that, in 2005, all I got was a computer printout on plain paper from a Formflow-type application, the supervisor explained that the "onionskin" original was a Vietnam-war era tradition, which the first lady evidently still erroneously clings to when she advises veterans regarding their critical DD214 issues, upon which their VA disability determination hinges. So, thus, longevity in a government service career can be a double-edged sword, yes?

More later,

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R
http://www.medicalcorpse.com

P.S. If I retired from the VA as an ex-LtCol, would I still be subject to involuntary recall to active duty for life, as I would have been had I retired directly from active duty? I don't know the answer to that question...do you? I don't want to be like the 86 year old psychologist air-evaced from downrange in early 2006, according to the reservist technician from Andrews who attended to him...

 

[futura]

Do they have in the system anywhere when your card was issued to you?

I was planning to go to a different base and getting a CAC card.

But they JUST issued this green card to me.

Just didn't want to make it look so shady. cause they could always ask me why I wanted another card so soon...?

 

[NavyFP]

Inactive Reservists (IRR) get the green card. Active reservists get the CAC card.

 

[NavyFP]

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R
http://www.medicalcorpse.com

P.S. If I retired from the VA as an ex-LtCol, would I still be subject to involuntary recall to active duty for life, as I would have been had I retired directly from active duty? I don't know the answer to that question...do you? I don't want to be like the 86 year old psychologist air-evaced from downrange in early 2006, according to the reservist technician from Andrews who attended to him...

If you have resigned your commision, you should be free and clear. Working for the VA would be as a GS (or whatever schedule they put VA on in the future). So there should be no possibility of recall. If you pay the social security from when you were on active duty, you may have those credited towards government retirement. I will admit to not being completely conversant in those rules, but I know people who have done it.

 

[MedicalCorpse]

If you have resigned your commision, you should be free and clear. Working for the VA would be as a GS (or whatever schedule they put VA on in the future). So there should be no possibility of recall. If you pay the social security from when you were on active duty, you may have those credited towards government retirement. I will admit to not being completely conversant in those rules, but I know people who have done it.

Thanks for the info. For now, I'll take it under advisement. I had beans last night.

http://www.bartleby.com/68/87/187.html

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R