What to Know About When DoD Civilian Employees Retire from Active Service
You work in an Exchange and thanks to recent changes in patronage rules, you have had DoD civilian employees shopping in your store since late 2021. But what happens when those employees retire from active federal service? Are they still allowed to shop in store? The answer might surprise you.
In April 2021, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced the expansion of Exchange shopping privileges for DoD and Coast Guard civilian employees and retired DoD and Coast Guard civilian employees. Both appropriated fund (i.e. Army or Air Force) and nonappropriated fund (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) civilian employees and retirees are included. In connection with the announcement, DoD issued Directive-Type Memorandum (DTM) 21-003, which spells out the specific rules applicable for these two groups.
DTM 21-003 grants both in-store and online Exchange shopping privileges to DoD and Coast Guard civilian employees who are assigned in the United States or in U.S. territories or possessions. However, it only grants online exchange shopping privileges for retired DoD and Coast Guard employees. In other words, after a DoD and Coast Guard civilian employee retires, their shopping privileges are reduced to online only.
Note that in-store privileges for active DoD and Coast Guard civilian employees outside of the U.S. and its territories and possessions are subject to applicable host-nation agreements such as Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA) and may thus either be restricted or disallowed entirely depending upon those agreements and what privileges the command can and does grant.
Are there purchase restrictions for either group? Yes. As explained in Attachment 2 to the DTM, these privileges exclude tobacco products, alcoholic beverage products and military uniform items. In addition, dependents of both active and retired DoD and Coast Guard civilian employees were not directly granted any shopping privileges, although active employees and retirees are specifically authorized to make purchases on behalf of their dependents. Also, Exchange associates and retirees have their own specific rules, which have not substantially been changed because of the DTM.
It should also be noted that the DoD civilian retiree ID card was phased out as of Aug. 31, 2023, and this has caused some concern among affected retirees. As explained above, because retired DoD civilian employees do not have in-store privileges, the termination of this ID card has no effect on a retiree’s ability to shop at exchanges online.
Questions about base access should be referred to the base Pass/ID or security office, but associates in the field should note that DoD expects retirees to primarily use REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses for future base access once the DoD civilian retiree ID cards have expired and been phased out.
What about retired exchange (NAF) employees with a DD Form 2574 (with INDEFINITE expiration date) and their spouse with a DD 2574 that has an expiration date, but was never issued a CAC card?
Hi, Mr. Smith,
Patronage privileges for Exchange retirees and spouses have not changed and the DD Form 2574 remains a valid ID for purposes of shopping privileges. However, another REAL ID-compliant form of ID is required to access installations.
Troy Wallace
Deputy General Counsel
Army & Air Force Exchange Service
Ok, if I missed this then sorry. I want to know what about retired AAFES employees. Are we still allowed to shop in store?
Hi, Mr. Chesla.
You should be able to shop in-store, as long as you have installation access. There is more information in this FAQ, which was updated this week: https://www.theexchangepost.com/2023/11/27/dod-civilian-retiree-id-cards-are-ending-heres-what-that-means-update-no-3/
Vr,
Robert Philpot
The Exchange Post
Can the Exchange not have exchange managers contact their installation commanders and determine what the requirements are and, in turn, provide that info to the Exchange; the Exchange could thereby provide the total list of installations to retirees with a link and information on what, for instance, Fort Moore requires AAFES retirees to enter, etc.
Hi, Mr. Johnston,
Sorry for the delayed reply on this. I’ve forwarded your comment to general counsel and to policy, who have been handling the stories about DoD civilian retirees. The suggestion may go on from there. Will try to provide any updates here.
Vr,
Robert Philpot
Editor
The Exchange Post
Hello Mr.Philpot I am a retired Dod civilian in Germany. Am I still authorized to shop in the exchange? Here’s my problem. I can’t get a Real ID. And if I did ,it’s not accepted here in Wiesbaden Germany. I thought it was required every where.but I guess not.i can’t get a Real ID because I never lived as an adult in my home state of Louisiana. They want proof of residency but all I have is my birth certificate and passport. Any advice on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated
Hi, Smirnoff,
I forwarded your comment to our Policy department. This is their response. Hope it helps.
In accordance with Directive-type Memorandum 21-003, “Access to Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Category C Online Activities, DoD Commissaries, and Military Service Exchanges,” retired DoD and Coast Guard civilian employees have access to online limited exchange privileges (excludes the purchase of tobacco products, alcoholic beverage products, or military uniform items) and are not eligible to shop in-store. The Real ID Act Identification Card is used to register for base access at U.S. military installations because of the termination of the DoD Civilian Retiree ID card. Therefore, recommend checking with the local installation for authorized credentials for base access if permitted by applicable host-nation agreements, status of forces agreements, or other requirements.