Civilian retirees will need a registered “Real ID” after Friday for access to Wright-Patterson

After Friday, if civilian Department of Defense retirees want to get on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, they’ll need that star on their driver’s license. And that driver’s license will need to be registered with the base.

After Friday, civilian retirees will need a “Real ID” or Real ID-compliant ID card for access to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Previous ID cards won’t be reissued. Department of Defense (DoD) civilian retiree identification ID cards are no longer issued.

In Ohio, a “Real ID” means a driver’s license that has a star in the upper corner of the card. To obtain that card, Ohio residents have to provide documents to establish identity and state residency.

Essentially, to get that ID in Ohio, you need certain documents, such as a Social Security card, passport or W-2 statements. A pay stub showing a Social Security number also works. (For Ohio rules, visit https://www.bmv.ohio.gov/dl-identity-documents.aspx)

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Passed by Congress in 2005, the Real ID Act enacted the 9/11 Commission’s recommendations that the federal government set more stringent standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as driver’s licenses.

To get on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, retired DoD civilians must register a Real ID at the Pass and Identification Office, the base’s 88th Air Base Wing said this week.

“After August 31, 2023, Department of Defense civilian retirees will be required to show a registered Real ID card for base access,” the wing said.

To register, retirees must provide a copy of their SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action at the Pass and Identification Office, showing documentation of their retirement, along with a valid and current driver’s license or U.S. passport.

Once registered, DoD civilian retirees may show their Real ID for base access.

The base also said that DoD ID cards are the property of the U.S. government and must be returned.

DoD Civilian Retiree ID cards may be surrendered at installation gates, the Customer Support ID Card Office located in Building 2 in Area A, or by mail to:

DMDC – DSC

ATTN: CAC Returns

2102 E 21st Street N

Wichita, Kansas 67214

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