MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- As more people enlist in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, a computerized database of service members and their dependents eligible for military and health benefits, the wait and enlistment process can become a burden to those who do not know the proper steps.
The Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Identification Card Center simplifies the procedure by addressing the issues of appointment scheduling and proper paperwork upon arrival.
“Those who don’t have either an appointment or a minimum of two valid forms of [identification] could end up waiting a minimum of two hours,” said Jamie M. Botha, the ID Card Center supervisor and a Phoenix native. “Also if the IDs people bring in are expired or are not consistent with primary forms, we may not even be able to help those who have been waiting.”
Seven days in advance is the minimum recommended time frame an appointment can be booked by phone or online. All customers with appointments are given priority before walk-in customers.
The ID card center creates military and dependent identification cards for active-duty, reservist and retired service members, Department of Defense workers as well as military dependents.
Military benefits are also removed and granted through the ID Card Center for those who meet DEERS eligibility requirements.
“Any time someone gets married or divorced, they must come through our office to have the benefits doled out or taken away,” said Botha.
To do this, customers must have two forms of valid identification. ID Card Center policy will not allow any exceptions for those who have left their birth certificates or forms of ID either in their home or home of record explained Botha.
The staff has created a statement of understanding, found online as well as in office, which states what each type of request filed within the ID center requires.
“We really just want to let everyone know what they need to bring or do to be helped successfully when they come in,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Wojciech Faryniarz, the ID Card Center officer in charge and a Brooklyn, N.Y., native. “I would hate to have someone drive possibly hours to be helped here, only to have to turn right back around and get the proper paperwork.”
For more information on appointment scheduling or to view the statement of understanding, which is used for both Marine Corps and Navy identification processing, visit http://www.marines.mil/unit/mcasmiramar/Pages/jrc/idcards.aspx.