Front: Name, color photo, expiration date, affiliation, service/agency, rank, and a vertical bar code. A pay grade will also be visible, with some exceptions (see below). Back: Black & white photo, blood type, DoD benefits number, date of birth, Geneva Convention Category, DoD ID number, and a horizontal bar code. Some CACs have a blue or green color band, indicating that the cardholder is a noncitizen or contractor. These are still valid. CACs with green color bands may not have a pay grade.
Front: Name, color photo, expiration date, affiliation (or relationship), pay grade, rank, and agency/department. Family members and dependents will have “Relationship” instead of “Affiliation”. Back: Black & white photo, blood type, DoD ID number, DoD benefits number, and a bar code. Some USIDs have a blue color band, indicating that the cardholder is a noncitizen. These are still valid.
The photo should be a professional headshot, not a selfie or something taken in a non-formal setting. Check the expiration date. If the ID has expired, it’s not considered valid.
Make sure the fonts are clean and consistent. Nothing should look scratched off or modified. USID affiliations can vary a lot. Cards can be given to family members, reserve members, military retirees, disabled veterans, and Medal of Honor recipients, among others. [7] X Research source
Pay grades and ranking systems are available online. They’re public information. Pay grades for uniformed personnel have the letter E, W, or O, followed by a number from 1-10. There are some subtle variations, but this is the general rule.
Some older USID cards are still laminated, but these have been slowly replaced as of 2020. CACs are never laminated. [11] X Research source Never accept a photo or copy of a card—even online. Photos and copies can be easily manipulated. There’s no way to verify their authenticity.
Have them confirm the details on the ID, including their date of birth and the spelling of their name.
Scammers may claim to need money for specific “service-related” fees, including discharges, medical care, or flights home. Real servicemembers don’t have to pay for these things while on deployment. [13] X Research source Dating profiles are easy to fake, especially if the person claims to be a U. S. soldier deployed in another part of the world. Never send money to someone you don’t know.
