Confusion surrounding new gate procedures at the U.S. Naval Academy

This is an attempt at trying to clear up some confusion about REAL ID and new procedures to get in the gates at the U.S. Naval Academy. These new procedures have ZERO to do with the current or previous presidential administrations. It has everything to do with the events of 9/11.

For those confused about REAL ID compliancy at the USNA, the attached link (https://www.cac.mil/Common-Access-Card/) shows the DoD ID cards. There is an ID card for foreign nationals and their dependents. I would guess that would cover foreign Mids.

The REAL ID Act was an act of Congress passed back in 2005. It’s just taken a long time to implement. You can read more about that here – https://www.dhs.gov/real-id/about-real-id

I have a DoD id card, a VA id card and a driver’s license – this does not necessarily mean I can go waltzing into a foreign military base or even some of the U.S. bases/U.S. commissaries/U.S. exchanges in Europe – as for U.S. bases in Europe, that’s dependent on NATO Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and agreements with host countries.

As for non-U.S. military bases, it’s not unusual for someone that is from another country not to be allowed on a military installation that isn’t American. While stationed in Italy, I lived next door (as in walking distance) to the Italian Air Force Academy. Despite that we’re allies – I was not allowed to walk into that facility on my own – I was not an Italian citizen and had no reason to be in that secure compound.

Did Naval Support Activity do a good explaining this? No, they did a terrible job and their Facebook posts read as very xenophobic – to be honest though, the REAL ID Act was a response to 9/11 and for the protection of U.S. assets.

Donna L. Cole is an award-winning investigative and multimedia reporter. She’s also a veteran of the U.S. Navy.