Home / DEERS ID Cards / DEERS ID Card Processes
February 7, 2025
DOD eliminated the issuing of the now legacy laminated Teslin ID cards in Dec 2020, including our coveted blue retiree card, and replaced them with the next generation Uniformed Services Identification Card (USID), a more secure card. The DOD has announced that all legacy Teslin ID cards must be replaced by 2026, including INDEF cards. Starting in Jan 2024 DMDC published a directive to all DEERS ID card offices worldwide that directs offices to replace any legacy Teslin ID card upon request, regardless of current card expiration date. Retiree blue card holders can come in anytime to replace their ID cards.
The Next Generation Uniformed Services Identification Card (USID) is a white plastic card. All USID cards look basically the same. What differentiates them primarily from one another is the printed text on the card. Also, certain cards have a colored stripe indicating dependent of a contractor or foreign national. Visit www.cac.mil for more information.
INDEF for the Retiree is automatic during the month prior to your 65th birthday, which is the retiree's current ID card Expiration Date. The current ID expires on the last day of the month prior to your birth month. If in Korea (or the Pacific region) however, do this AFTER THE 1st of the month due to the time zone difference between Korea (the Pacific) and the U.S. Anything done here on the 1st is still yesterday last month CONUS. INDEF for the retiree is automatic at 65, regardless of Medicare enrollment. Medicare enrollment only impacts TRICARE not ID expiration.
INDEF for a spouse is automatic at 65 if enrolled in Medicare Part B and ONLY at or after their actual 65th birthday date (not the same as the retiree) . For a dependent spouse, Medicare enrollment does impact ID card expiration. Unfortunately the rule between retiree and retirees dependent spouse appears to be a DOD decision implemented when they lowered the INDEF age down from 75. Since a dependents ID card is issued every 4 years, making the expiration dates very dynamic and most likely not falling anywhere "around" their 65 birthday, it was not important enough to treat the INDEF rule the same as the Retiree, who's ID card expiration date and INDEF status will always be before the 65th birthday. The downside of this is when a dependent spouses ID expires very close to, but before the 65th, another 4-year card is given even though that 65th birthday is very close. The options then are then to either 1) obtain and live with that new 4-year card, 2) go back after turning 65 and get that 4-year card updated to an INDEF card, or 3) live with an expired ID and wait until your 65th birthday does come (not recommended). Another potential downside falls under option 2 above, that while all ID card offices are instructed and "suppose" to reissue these type of ID cards for the spouse as INDEF upon request, regardless of expiration date, we all know not all offices are the same, even though they are supposed to be, and some may not, thus some may not replace the 4-year ID as INDEF even though they should.
Ref: https://soldierforlife.army.mil/Retirement/blog/06SEP2021_New-Indefinite-ID-Cards-at-Age-65-for-Spouses-of-Retirees
In order for a dependent to get a new/updated ID card a Form 1172-2 must be signed by the Sponsor, or a Power of Attorney must be available to the dependent allowing the dependent to act in place of the sponsor and sign the 1172-2.
The easiest way to renew a dependents ID card is for the Sponsor and Dependent to visit a DEERS/RAPIDS ID card office so the Sponsor can sign the form 1172-2.
If a Power of Attorney is given to the dependent from the sponsor, the the depnedent can come to an ID Card office on their own.
Also, the Sponsor can go online to the DOD ID Card Online website at https://idco.dmdc.osd.mil/idco and logon with either a CAC card or DS Logon account and create a digitally signed Form 1172-2, and send it to their dependent. The dependent can then come to an ID Card office on their own.
Some dependents are eligible to have their ID cards replaced via Mail-in by applying online at the ID CARD OFFICE Online (IDCO) website. The sponsor MUST SEE a button next to a family members name that requests a mail-in ID. If there is no button, then they are not eligible for mail-in renewal and must visit a DEERS ID Card office. Visit www.cac.mil for more information.
An ID card received via this Mail-On process MUST be Activated upon receipt of the card by using a DS Logon account to the ID Card Online website and navigating to the Activate card section.
A DEERS ID Card Office CANNOT activate a Mail-In ID card!
The DMDC Support Office CANNOT activate a Mail-In ID card!
NO!
You get an INDEF ID at 65 whether you signed up for Medicare and have TRICARE For Life (TFL) or not. You can turn down enrollment in Medicare Part B and still get your INDEF ID Card. You lose your TRICARE by doing this, but you still get the same 65 year retiree card. So the ID itself proves nothing medically. As you can read on the TRICARE page, you are automatically enrolled in TFL when you enroll in Medicare Part B. Your DEERS record will automatically update, whether you get an new ID card or not (still best to verify your Medicare properly updated at an ID card office). This means you are covered by TRICARE, even if you do not get an new ID and retain the expired ID card. But, if you are asked to show your ID somewhere, and it's expired because you have turned 65 and didn't get a new one, well that alone can cause other problems. So, yes it is of course the best COA (course of action) to obtain a new ID at 65.
The point here is, you do not need a current DOD ID card to have and use TRICARE. Does it make it easier? Yes, by virtue of having a valid ID, but it is not necessary.
Another tidbit of information about the new USID cards, there is no longer any medical information on the back of the card. The back of the new ID card only reads "Verify Eligibility", which is actually there for the medical provider to verify TRICARE, and not for you the cardholder to prove it. It's one of the changes we in DOD made to the new IDs.
