DOD to begin issuing time-saving Common Access Cards
The Common Access Card will replace the standard military identification card for active duty military personnel, the selected reserve, DOD civilian employees, and eligible contractor personnel.
The CAC includes new technology that will move the department into the Internet age, help to secure computer networks, and will be used to enable physical access to buildings and controlled spaces.
The CAC is a credit card-sized device that accommodates an integrated circuit chip (computer chip), a magnetic stripe, and barcodes.
The magnetic stripe will be used primarily to enable physical access to buildings and controlled areas.
The barcodes and computer chip will store identification, demographic, benefits, and card management related data.
The chip has the ability to read, write, and perform various functions and operations on several thousand bytes of information and will also store the class 3 Public Key Infrastructure certificates that allow cardholders to digitally sign documents such as e-mail, encrypt information, and establish secure internet sessions.
Space will also be made on each CAC for component-specific applications and related data. The cards will be issued through your local Military Personnel Office or Military Personnel Flight, using existing and new Real-Time Automated Personnel Identification System sites.
The CAC will be useful immediately as the Uniformed Services ID card for active duty and selected reserve personnel and as the official DOD ID card for our civilian employees and eligible contractor personnel.
It is of immediate importance to ensure that this new ID card is recognized in all locations, especially since its appearance is significantly different from current ID cards.
Both PKI and smart card technologies are clearly on the leading edge of technological evolution. This new technology will offer great potential benefits in securing our computer networks, implementing our electronic commerce and paperless contracting initiatives, and reengineering our business processes.
USTRANSCOM is represented on the Smart Card Senior Coordinating Group (SCSCG) by the TCJ-6. Direct technical questions to Mr. John Zych (TCJ6-PB, DSN: 779-1363). Refer functional questions to Maj. Glenn Grothe (TCJ4-LI, DSN: 779-1710).
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