I.D. cards for retired D.O.D. civilians

I am twice retired..

In my civilian retirement all contact is at "arms length".. I have no ID, access to buildings or facilities. I have the perks and privileges of my employment's retirement s negotiated while employed.

Our civil servants have excellent rights and benefits as active employees and retirees. Enjoy them, you earned them.

I'm not positive, but I think that all retired DOD civil service employees are allowed to use the fam camps at any base. I believe it is in the regs.

I'm not positive, but I think that all retired DOD civil service employees are allowed to use the fam camps at any base. I believe it is in the regs.

What regs? It has been our experience that who can use the military campgrounds is up to the local base commander. The only one we have been to that does not allow DOD civilians was at NAS Key West. The local base commander made that change last February, the week before we arrived. We had some friends, who are retired DOD, that were there the week it changed but were allowed to stay. While I was checking in there was a very angry retired DOD who was being turned away after driving all they way from the mainland.

My brother, who is retired FAA, has been allowed to use some of the military campgrounds on some National Guard bases but not on active bases. Again, it is up to the local CO/Commander. I think one of the major frustrations to many people is there are not set regs for all military campgrounds/all services.

Well, I can't recite the reg, I've been retired for 24 yrs. I just checked three bases on this site and out of the three all of them allowed DOD civilians and NAF civilians. I don't know if that means retired or not. Maybe it don't. Anyway that is all I know. Those bases are Mayport Naval, Patrick AF, and Kings Bay Naval.

This ARTICLE includes copies of all the applicable regulations from the DOD and all of the services.

You'll notice that DOD civilians, current and retired, are listed with LIMITED MWR priviliges. Basically, this means the local installation commander has the final decision to allow or disallow this category access to MWR facilities (includes campgrounds). The installation commander can deny retired, but allow active DOD civilians. From my experience, if a military campground states that DOD is authorized, they'll also allow DOD retired.

As usual, the safest method is to contact the military campground you're interested in directly. Local directives change based on local conditions. Some places allow DOD in off season, but not during prime, busy season. Although, they may advertise DOD authorized.

(The above is just my personal opinion)

I, for one at least, am retired USN and happy to see all DOD get access -- active or retired -- makes more $$$ available to run the overhead -- for me, the more the merrier, unless we start getting over-crowded and find ourselves with the homesteading issues again when we have no sites for the rotation to accomodate. Except for a few camps, I find most of them have room all the time -- and I never make reservations -- just show up and adapt to what's there.

But I'm guessing that most MCG do not have over-crowded issues to deal with -- my guess is that a few prime areas -- Tampa and Key West for two, and a few others I'm sure at times ... which are warm areas and full all winter. But, in about five years of camping in MCGs, I've never once been turned away without at least a site for a night or two [even if it's overflow] before choosing to move on -- but never been asked to move on ... and even in overflow, someone will run out a cord and an antenna somehow to get power and TV available if you want it -- and sometimes I don't worry about it if I'm leaving after a short-stay ... but it's never a "get outta here, we're full" --- never have heard that, ever. Hope I didn't hijack this post ... sorry if I did a little ...