FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. -- Fort Campbell Commissary cashiers began scanning customers' Defense Department ID cards as part of a new Defense Commissary Agency checkout requirement Jan. 6.
Currently, many military activities actively scan DoD ID cards to positively identify individuals and verify benefit entitlement. DeCA commissaries are now part of that group.
"Verifying eligibility has been a problem in the past," said Patricia King, Fort Campbell Commissary store administration. "Some may have a military ID card but do not have commissary privileges. On busy days with long lines, sometimes you won't catch that."
The information captured during the scanning process will serve two purposes. It will verify a patron's eligibility to use the commissary and will also help identify preferences that will enable commissaries to provide products and services that are directly related to its patrons.
"The only information being captured at the register is the ID card number, which is cross-referenced with Defense Manpower Data Center's Defense Enrollment Eligibility System to obtain rank, military status, branch of service, age, household size, residential ZIP code, and duty station," said King. "This data provides us with information about patron usage by military service and basic customer demographics. Specific, personal data about an individual is not collected."
Scanning is done before the checkout process. Customers must present valid ID cards prior to making their commissary purchases. Those with expired ID cards will not be allowed to complete their purchases.
"Biggest thing is just to be ready," said King. "Have your ID handy. If you have to dig for your ID card, it will increase wait times since cashiers cannot begin to scan items until the card is scanned."
Patrons using self check-out machines are required to show their ID card to a sales attendant for photographic verification before proceeding. The self check-out machines will prompt patrons to scan their military ID prior to the scanning of items.
Authorized commissary patrons include active duty, guard and reserve members, military retirees, Medal of Honor recipients, 100 percent disabled Veterans, and their authorized Family members.
"The methods, processes and information we'll use will not compromise our customers' privacy -- they can be sure of that," said Joseph H. Jeu, DeCA director in a release. "We're putting technology to work to better understand our customers and ensure the commissary benefit continues to remain relevant to them now and in the future."
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