Common access card takes on upgrade

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kristopher Levasseur
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  Customers trying to get a new military identification card will notice a change this time around as the customer service flight went through a common access card distribution system upgrade earlier this year.

The upgrade to the real-time automated personnel identification system, or RAPIDS, is to increase the security of the military identification card distribution system.

Under the RAPIDS system active duty military personnel, selected reserve, Department of Defense civilian employees, eligible contractor personnel, eligible federal personnel, and other DoD-sponsored eligible populations are required to have the following documentation:

- Two Forms of id. Both ids must be among those listed on the I-9 Form page 3 such as a U.S. Passport (unexpired or expired), driver's license or id card issued by a state or outlying possession of the U.S. or U.S. social security card. One must bear a photo (e.g., passport, driver's license). A current or expired CAC is considered a valid form of ID.

- A government email address preceded by .mil or .gov. If the wrong email address is entered, an individual will be required to return later to correct it.

- A six to eight digit number to use as a personal identification number. All personnel will be asked to create a PIN that can be easily remembered. Numbers that are easily traced such as part of your social security number, birthday, anniversary date, telephone number or address should not be used.

"One of the biggest problems we have had with the new system is people not bringing in the appropriate ID," said Holly Courson, 48th MSS customer service assistant.

The system, which is a military wide initiative, is currently being used at all U.K. installations and at more than 1,500 locations in the U.S.

"The new system creates the id cards a lot quicker than the old system and the security checks come back a lot faster as well," said Tech. Sgt. Myron Bradley, 48th MSS NCOIC of customer service.

In addition to the new system, a new CAC card is being issued at many military installations.

"Even though we are not currently issuing the new id card here, we have had a few calls about people coming here with them," said Ms. Courson. "There has been some confusion from various organizations on whether they are a valid form of identification."

For more information on the new CAC card, visit www.cac.mil.