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Most Uniformed Services Identification card holders can now renew their cards online and receive them in the mail, instead of having to schedule an appointment at an ID card office, according to a Jan. 16 Defense Department press release.
Before this expansion of a year-old pilot program, only sponsors with a common access card could request online renewals.
The program now allows family members, retirees and others to renew USID cards via the ID Card Office online.
Officials caution the pilot program is only for the renewal of a USID card — not for the card's initial issue.
The pilot program is also limited to cardholders within the United States, though expansion to non-U.S. addresses is in the works.
Mike Zarlenga, who is with the Defense Manpower Data Center, said DoD currently issues about 4.5 million ID cards each year. About 2.5 million of these are USID cards; of these, roughly 1 million cards are eligible for online renewal.
According to Zarlenga, the pilot program is meant to make life easier for family members and retirees.
The pilot program also enhances DoD's mission by freeing up appointment slots at pass and ID offices for military personnel and civilian government employees who need to apply for or renew a CAC card, Zarlenga added.
More information about the online USID card renewal pilot program — including the program's restrictions and requirements — is available on the CAC website at www.cac.mil.
— By John Goheen
