Same-Sex Spouses Get ID cards Sept. 3

Reposted news from Air Force Public Affairs: Same-sex spouses of Air Force military members, eligible civilian employees, and military retirees may be enrolled in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System by their sponsors and get their dependent identification card beginning Sept. 3, Air Force Personnel Center officials said today. Following a June 26 Supreme Court decision finding Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, Defense Department officials announced the plan to extend benefits to same-sex spouses. “We’ve had a lot of interest from Airmen on this topic,” said Karen Bennett, DEERS/RAPIDS Operations branch chief. “While many military personnel sections take walk-in customers, Airmen who walk in without an appointment may experience longer wait times, so we want to encourage folks to use the online appointment scheduler to make an appointment for DEERS enrollment and ID cards.” To make an appointment, contact the nearest military personnel section or go online to https://rapids-appointments.dmdc.osd.mil. For information about benefits available to spouses, visit the myPers website at https://mypers.af.mil and enter “ID Cards,” or “DEERS” in the search window. by Debbie Gildea Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs