Veteran ID cards are taking about three months to receive after application

[May 24, 2018] 

The Veterans ID cards are being mailed and delivered. Here is a little background for those who may not know about this card.

Congress approved a bill a few years ago and President Obama signed the bill into law on July 20, 2015 that allowed honorably discharged veterans to receive an ID card that would be proof of their honorable service. Unfortunately, Congress didn’t appropriate the money to make the cards until last October. Since receiving appropriation the VA has designed and implemented the ID card as you see in this post.

As a retired military veteran, I already had a different ID card from the military that showed proof of service and didn’t need to apply for one of these VA ID’s, but I did as to ascertain how long the wait would be from applying to receiving the card. I can finally can tell the veterans I serve that it took three months, give or take a couple days.

An honorably discharged vet will now be able to carry an ID card to show proof of service verses having to carrying their discharge papers. This ID only shows you served your country honorably in the military, it does not afford any medical or military base access or other privileges. If you have a retiree ID or a VA medical ID card you do not have to apply for this card as you already have an ID that shows you served in the military honorably. I suspect many of the businesses, both local and nationally, that offer discounts to veterans will be requesting this ID card in the near future. To apply go to www.vets.gov or see the Logan County Veterans Assistance Commission located at 122 N McLean St Lincoln IL on Mon, Wed, or Fri from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

[Dan Benedict
Logan County VAC Supt.]