Real ID 10/2020 Deadline: Best ID to Carry? DL? GE? Passport?
#31
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#32
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Me three: First the passport, a brief period of waiting while TSA document checkers couldn't figure out that my GE card was official government ID, and now the passport card.
#33
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#35
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NYS also allows this for "regular" DLs. Real ID compliant DLs require your "real" home address to be printed on DL.
#36
Join Date: Nov 2004
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I signed up for a 3 month trial CLEAR (free!) membership. I was flying on DL JFK-ZRH (out of T4 which has clear). Once I cleared CLEAR
I bypassed the TSA P/C agent and went straight to the security line. So CLEAR (though expensive if you don't have any discounts) is another option..

#37
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My current Washington state license is non-compliant, but looks as though I'll be forced to go Real ID when it expires later this year. I use my GE card at the airport.
#38
Join Date: Mar 2010
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If I were you, I would just apply for a passport card and continue using the non-compliant WA driver license.
#39
Join Date: May 2011
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I had let retired Army ID expire and got lazy about getting a new one. I rarely go on the local Army or Air Force posts and bases so no big deal. About a month ago Mrs K was bugging me about it so I went into the ID office one morning without an appointment. Took all of 20 minutes to get my new non-chipped CAC card. Felt kind of stupid that I hadn’t done it before. Anyhow, used it on a short vacation this past week with no issue. Other than the preprinted government stuff it only has my picture, name, and an expiration date on it. That’s about as minimal as it gets and it’s easier to get out of my wallet than my driver’s license.
#40
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I had let retired Army ID expire and got lazy about getting a new one. I rarely go on the local Army or Air Force posts and bases so no big deal. About a month ago Mrs K was bugging me about it so I went into the ID office one morning without an appointment. Took all of 20 minutes to get my new non-chipped CAC card. Felt kind of stupid that I hadn’t done it before. Anyhow, used it on a short vacation this past week with no issue. Other than the preprinted government stuff it only has my picture, name, and an expiration date on it. That’s about as minimal as it gets and it’s easier to get out of my wallet than my driver’s license.
#41
Join Date: May 2011
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I turn 65 in another eight weeks, so I will have to turn in my old DD-2 for the new CAC. Apparently, they set an expiration date of your 65th birthday on all retiree ID cards to make sure you went into a Pass & ID office somewhere. The reasoning I heard was so they could change over Tricare for Life to Medicare Part B in your DEERS records.
#42
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I had to renew my retired ID when I turned 65. Renewal date was 06/2017 and was issued a DD Form 2 with and Indefinite expiration date. I haven't been on a military base since the renewal so not sure what would happen if I was required to produce ID.
What caught me off guard was the requirement to sign up for Medicare or lose Tri-Care coverage.
What caught me off guard was the requirement to sign up for Medicare or lose Tri-Care coverage.
#43
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They actually let me keep my old ID. Clerk said they used to take them but stopped since they are totally obsolete and supposedly can’t be used. My old ID was so old that the expiration date entry actually said “indefinite”. TSA didn’t like it and in fact one ID checker initially refused to accept it. His supervisor overruled him but suggested I either get a new ID card or use some other ID. After that a gate guard at Fort Gordon tried to take it away from me because it was no longer considered valid. Talked him out of it because I was just visiting the post and didn’t live in the area. Anyhow, finally got off my backside and have the new CAC and my DEERS information is updated.
I had to renew my retired ID when I turned 65. Renewal date was 06/2017 and was issued a DD Form 2 with and Indefinite expiration date. I haven't been on a military base since the renewal so not sure what would happen if I was required to produce ID.
What caught me off guard was the requirement to sign up for Medicare or lose Tri-Care coverage.
What caught me off guard was the requirement to sign up for Medicare or lose Tri-Care coverage.
I chose to stay with my federal civilian plan which you can take into retirement. I never signed up for Tricare for Life. (I guess I still have what they used to call CHAMPUS Basic which was free but didn't cover much of anything.) I will sign up for Medicare Part A which is a no-brainer because you paid for it during your working lifetime.
#44
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When I retired in 1998, my original retired ID card did say "indefinite." My active duty ID card also said "indefinite" but that was long before CACs. It must have been about 10 years ago when we went to get Mrs. Flies' dependent ID card renewed that they gave me a new one with my 65th birthday as the expiration. I think I wrote upstream that the NCO said that the DoD did this specifically for Medicare enrollment.
I chose to stay with my federal civilian plan which you can take into retirement. I never signed up for Tricare for Life. (I guess I still have what they used to call CHAMPUS Basic which was free but didn't cover much of anything.) I will sign up for Medicare Part A which is a no-brainer because you paid for it during your working lifetime.
#45
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If I never had a passport card but do have a passport book - when renewing passport and adding in the option of passport card, do I pay $30 (renewal) or $65 (first-time)?
What if I want to get a new passport card, never had one before, but not renewing my passport at the same time?
What if I want to get a new passport card, never had one before, but not renewing my passport at the same time?