"It just ticks me off that they can't accept a federally issued ID card."

NOTE from Larry Scott, VA Watchdog dot Org ... This is really a problem with the new VA ID cards.

The old cards, with date of birth and Social Security number, were one of the best IDs anywhere. 

So, in their haste to protect veterans from identity theft, the VA has left many without a decent form of ID.

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Veterans encounter problems with ID cards

By Nathaniel Shuda • Daily Tribune Staff

http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/article/200
91221/WRT0101/912210462/1982/WRT04/Veter
ans-encounter-problems-with-ID-cards

When Grand Rapids resident Tom Sachs visited Washington, D.C., in October, he used his Veterans Affairs photo ID card as a form of identification at all the places he went.

However, after returning to central Wisconsin, the 64-year-old veteran of the Vietnam War visited his local U.S. Cellular store, 4321 Eighth St. S., where employees told him the company did not consider the federally issued card an acceptable form of identification.

"It just ticks me off that they can't accept a federally issued ID card," Sachs said. "Obviously, they're not aware of what it is. It's not as if you go to the five-and-dime store and get a Veterans Affairs card."

Don Klein, a corporate spokesman for the Chicago-based wireless phone service provider, said Friday evening the company accepts military identification cards, but he would have to research the VA card issue. He subsequently did not return a phone call to the Daily Tribune before print deadlines.

But U.S. Cellular isn't the only company that doesn't accept the cards, said Todd Boudreau, commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2534.

Within the last month or two, a few of his post's members have told him they have unsuccessfully tried using their VA card as a secondary form of photo ID at various other businesses, Boudreau said.

"My biggest concern is what happens to these guys who don't have another form of photo ID," he said. "There are quite a few homeless veterans who might only have a government-issued card."

All veterans who use VA clinic and hospital services are issued the card, which includes the individual's name and photo, along with an electronic barcode that contains even more detailed information.

After visiting other businesses in the area that did accept his VA card, including competing wireless phone provider Alltel, Sachs contacted state Rep. Marlin Schneider, D-Wisconsin Rapids, who discussed the issue with legislative and business leaders in Madison.

"Why they don't is beyond me, especially when somebody like Tom is already their customer," Schneider said Friday. "It's a bit perplexing.

"For the state to do anything about it is pretty unlikely, but I think some public pressure on these guys to do something would help."

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