Veterans ID Cards

By Michael Corbett, Post 440

There’s a great deal of confusion over the “Veteran ID” cards soon to be issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs.  For those who have been rated by the VA Health Care system, issuance of the “Veterans’ Health ID card” permits qualified veterans to enter VA clinics and hospitals for the express purpose of obtaining health care.

The President of the USA, in 2015, signed the “Veterans’ Identification Card Act,” to provide a form of identification as a veteran to anyone.  Simply put, this identification card acts much as a driver’s license without the privilege of operating a motor vehicle.  That is, the “Veterans’ ID Card” provides documented evidence the holder is a bona fide veteran who has faithfully and honorably served her or his country.  For the veteran, it will be, when eventually issued, an easy to carry form of identification in order to obtain offered discounts at retail outlets – businesses, restaurants, amusements, etc.

While the Veterans’ ID card will be an officially sanctioned form of identification for the veteran to whom it is assigned, it is up to the business firm to decide on offering a discount in the first place; and, the level discount to provide.  There will not be a Government standard discount!  Businesses that choose to offer a discount may or may not require appropriate identification – the “Veterans ID card” is appropriate for such transactions.

The “Veterans’ ID card” is neither intended to nor shall it be used in place of a DoD Uniform Services or Retiree ID card.  There is just no relation among the cards.  However either of the three may be used as identification, provided the business establishment accepts it as such in order to provide the discount.

The VA website reports that the “Veterans’ ID card,” which originally was to be available in 2016, should now be ready for issue in 2017 – as of this report in October 2017, VA sources tell us they do not know when the card will be nationally available.  However, we were referred by the VA at their “800” number to go to the website:  https://www.vets.gov   after 1 November to complete the application for the card.  A visit to the site on 19 October revealed no reference to the “Veterans’ ID card.”

As planned, the “Veterans’ ID card” will display the veteran’s branch of military service.  49 states currently provide veteran status on their driver’s license plus, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, by displaying the insignia of the branch of service of the veteran.  The 50th state, Washington is scheduled to roll-out their version by the end of 2017.  Veterans interested in this form of ID should contact their state’s Motor Vehicle department.  Veterans may possess both a valid state driver’s license with the “veterans” designation and the new VA issued “Veterans’ ID card.”

Today, veterans may access a free identification – proof of honorable service – via the joint VA/DoD site, “https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage”  However, when available, the new “Veterans’ ID card” will not be free!  Veterans will apply for the card, as VA provides, for a fee that will be established “in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible while protecting Veterans’ personal information.”  Considering the millions of people whose information has been hacked in very recent memory, veterans are warned to take this message with a grain of salt.  At the time of this article, the fee for the “Veterans’ ID card” has not been determined.

For years we have been admonished not to use our Veterans Health Care ID card for purposes outside the VA.  Now however, the VA website offers that, when veterans want an ID for purposes of obtaining discounts at civilian establishments, they may obtain the ‘Veterans Health Care ID card’ from the VA (see: http://www.va.gov/HEALTHBENEFITS/vhic/index.asp ).  Meanwhile, military retirees have the option of obtaining an ID card from the Department of Defense (see:  https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/rsl/appj/site ).

Veterans are reminded that non-official websites on the internet are purposely made to look like the real VA website – proceed carefully when seeking VA information on-line.  And know too, VA programs such as the “Choice” program permitting qualified veterans to visit civilian medical facilities are rife with problems.  Veterans should insist on written permission to visit civilian medical facilities only after being absolutely certain of their qualification for VA health care.

Volume 71. Number 4. Winter 2017

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