Recently, there has been a great deal of discussion regarding the "Next Generation" Common Access Cards and their issuance at Rock Island. The Garrison Department of Human Resources would like to help alleviate some concerns and hopefully, clarify as much as possible on the subject.
Links to two DoD Directive Type Memorandums (DTM) issued in November and December of 2008, are provided as part of this article. These documents provide details in regard to descriptions of, and responsibility for, particular types of Identification Cards (CAC/Military ID/Retiree/etc.), as well as providing some insight to DoD's plan for issuance of the cards referred to as "Next Generation" in order to be fully compliant with the "Homeland Security Presidential Directive - 12 (HSPD-12)" and in accordance with "Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 201-1 (FIPS 201-1)".
What you will find in reading these documents is that DoD is the source for all of the Card Stock used for Identification Cards of any kind issued by our CAC/ID office. In fact, card stock (and related items like the new "electromagnetic opaque sleeves"), equipment, software, programming are all provided by DoD to every card-issuing facility throughout every branch of DoD. Card stock is issued to each CAC/ID office based on historical numbers of cards issued and their expiration dates. Each issuance of new card stock is referred to as "Next Generation" and it comes with instruction to continue to use up the "old" stock prior to beginning to use the new. As a result of this practice and based on the three-year expiration of our cards, there are currently Rock Island Arsenal-issued cards that have technology spanning 32kb to 144kb data transmission rate. This will change over time as expiration dates are reached and new cards are issued.
You will also see that the plan of implementation for the "Next Generation" ID cards is set out by DoD through 2012 and will take us through technological advances along the way. The new "sleeves" protect against "contactless" extraction of information. Please keep in mind that "contactless" means just that - you don't have to plug the CAC card in (as you do with your keyboard every day) when a scanner (like those intended for use at the entry gates and eventually at building access points) scans your card. However, only scanners programmed to read the DoD encryption will be able to extract information from the cards. The "sleeves" also protect other cards with magnetic strips which you may have in close proximity to your CAC card so that the others do not become de-magnetized. The sleeves should be used anytime the CAC is placed close to other cards with a magnetic strip (i.e. credit cards).
We hope this helps increase your understanding and alleviate some concerns. Questions on this issue should be directed to Renee Michl at (309) 782-1320, renee.michl@us.army.mil.
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