Forum Discussion

rjniles's avatar
rjniles
Explorer
Oct 06, 2020

Military campground, base access

My wife recently required surgery at MUSC in Charleston SC. I live about 60 miles from Charleston so we decided to get a reservation at the military campground at Joint Base Charleston. I am a USAF veteran with a service connected disability so I have base access, my wife does not. Wife's surgery was scheduled for Wednesday so I reserved 4 nights, Tuesday through Saturday. We Arrived Tuesday afternoon and went to the visitors center to get my wife a pass. I was told that she could only get a 1 day pass (even though we had a 4 night reservation) and would have to get a pass each day.

My wife was discharged on Thursday after 5 PM. The visitors center was closed and I could not get her a pass. I ended up leaving her at a Waffle House near the base while I went to the campground and hooked up the camper. We ended up cutting our stay short and returned home that night.

I sent an email to the base commander expressing my dismay at the short sighted policy. I have not got a response as it has only been a few days. Question to those of you who have stayed at military campgrounds, is this a general policy or unique to this base. I add that the policy only applies to non retiree vets with service connected disabilities. Full retires can get multiple day passes for their spouses.
Seeking Advice
  • mowermech's avatar
    mowermech
    Explorer
    Oct 06, 2020
    As a military retiree, my spouse does not need any pass for base access, she has her ID card.
    We have stayed at two Air Force FamCamps; at Malmstrom AFB in Great Falls, MT and at McChord AFB near Tacoma, WA. Neither required reservations. In fact, reservations can not be made at Malmstrom, first come/first served only. The campground is not on base.
    It was many years ago that we stayed at McChord, so I don't know what the policy is now. At that time, we had no problems with base access. The campground is on base.
    How the campground is administered is often up to the local command. That includes who is allowed access to the campground. The Pass policy for your spouse may be a local policy, or it may be DOD regulation, I don't know.
    If I were in your situation, I know I would never again patronize any military campground unless it is outside the fence as the one at Malmstrom AFB is!
  • rjniles's avatar
    rjniles
    Explorer
    Oct 06, 2020
    My situation is different than a retiree as I am a 4 year veteran. Until 1/1/20 I had no commissary or other base access privileges, as of that date vets with a services connected disability and a VA medical card were granted those privileges. But that does not include a dependent ID card for my wife. I can understand having to get her a visitors pass but it seems strange that I can not get her a pass for the length of our stay.
  • lucy6194's avatar
    lucy6194
    Explorer
    Oct 06, 2020
    My husband was 100% after 4 years enlistment agent orange!I've had dependant id for years. He passed this past January and I still have id and use of base facilities. Use campgrounds and exchanges
  • rjniles's avatar
    rjniles
    Explorer
    Oct 06, 2020
    lucy6194 wrote:
    My husband was 100% after 4 years enlistment agent orange!I've had dependant id for years. He passed this past January and I still have id and use of base facilities. Use campgrounds and exchanges


    I am sorry for your loss. Vets with 100% disability have always has base access, commissary and other privileges. New since 1/1/20 is privileges for disabilities less than 100% but still service connected. Dependent ID card is not included in this change. I am not sure how many vets are in my classification and have tried to use these new benefits.
  • ItsyRV's avatar
    ItsyRV
    Explorer
    Oct 06, 2020
    If your access to the facilities MWR is based only on the expanded eligibility under PHDVEA, (disabled veteran new access privilege), that is for the disabled veteran and their VA registered caregiver. Spouses are allowed but at the discretion of the facility commander. Some allow spousal escorted access, others do not. Some will extend a multi-day visitor pass for RV camping, others require a daily pass.

    If your spouse can qualify as a caregiver, that has been the way many couples have received authorized access for their spouse just like for them self.

    For what it's worth, there was never anything in the PHDVES Act that automatically allowed spouses of the newly eligible veterans to have base access. It was always just the eligible DV and their VA registered caregiver. Spousal access was always at and still under the complete discretion of the facility commander.
  • 1995brave's avatar
    1995brave
    Nomad
    Oct 06, 2020
    Could have been due to special orders to reduce access to the base due to Covid. Even Lackland stopped allowing individuals without military ID or CAC access to the base unless a sponsor got them a one day pass. They just opened the base back up on 28 Sept.
  • down_home's avatar
    down_home
    Explorer II
    Oct 07, 2020
    I'm posting this link about VA/DOD policies rather than my comments.

    DOD Answers top 10 Questions on expanded commissary, exchange, MWR access.

    https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/70068/dod-answers-top-10-questions-expanded-commissary-exchange-mwr-access/

    Everyone must have a VHIC under the new rules for those not previously allowed on base. Base Commanders have an ultimate say but with only so much leeway.
  • ItsyRV's avatar
    ItsyRV
    Explorer
    Oct 07, 2020
    1995brave wrote:
    Could have been due to special orders to reduce access to the base due to Covid. Even Lackland stopped allowing individuals without military ID or CAC access to the base unless a sponsor got them a one day pass. They just opened the base back up on 28 Sept.

    When a DV registers their VHIC with the base access center (visitor center), the barcode on that VHIC will operate like a CAC at the gates. The problem is not all facilities' systems are designed to read the VHIC barcodes or they are not interconnected for VHIC system integration. That is why you can register for access using your VHIC at a base Florida and that registration propagates to allow entrance in Washington, but it may not allow you access at another base in Florida.

    Another issue is that some VHIC's lack the code for DOD access. In those cases, entry controllers have to issue a pass; they won't deny you access just your card can't serve as an entry ID with readers.

    But all this isn't really the issue as spousal access was never part of the PHDV Equal Access Act. It was only for qualified veterans and their VA registered caregivers. If a person already had access (100% SC DV's, retirees, dependents, etc) this has nothing to do with them; it's only the new group of eligible veterans and their caregivers for access to Exchanges, Commissaries and MWR activities.
  • Dtank's avatar
    Dtank
    Explorer
    Oct 07, 2020
    Suggest you try the "Veterans" forum on Escapees forums.

    Generally speaking, the SKP forums have more retired (dare I say "older") folks? (LOL) - Many Vets posting on the various forums over there.

    I see the very first thread on "Veterans" forum is by/from a former service member with a disability retirement.

    Hope it helps. (Compliments of a non-vet, who did his time for Uncle.)

    .

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