Businesses cannot photocopy military I.D. cards Published Jan. 6, 2012 By Airman 1st Class Saphfire Cook 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- Many businesses offer discounts to military members, their dependents and civilian workers. To validate these discounts, members must show their department of defense I.D. and some businesses may want to make photocopies for their records. The photocopying of a military identification card or a common access card is illegal under Title 18, U.S. Code Part 1, Chapter 33, Section 701. Commercial establishments may ask to make a photocopy to verify military employment or to provide reduced pricing for military members. This is a criminal violation and offenders could face fines and imprisonment. According to the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, U.S. government I.D. cards could be used as an important logistical element when planning terrorist attacks against the U.S. military. "The guards at the gate should never be our 'first line of defense,'" said 1st Lieutenant Reid Inman, 355th Fighter Wing Plans and Evaluations. "Rather, it is crucial that military members and their families guard sensitive information whenever possible. By sending scans over unsecure means you open up the possibility of easy interception and possible misuse well beyond your duty section." Department of Defense members can provide the establishment with a state drivers license or another form of identification to be copied if the business insists. Medical establishments, such as doctors' offices or hospitals, are exempt from this regulation and may make a photocopy of the I.D. for the purpose of filing insurance claims. Other government agencies can also make copies in the interest of conducting official government business. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System at 228-4425.