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.

Why doesn’t your wife have a dependent ID?

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!

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.

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

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.

Military campground, base access | Good Sam Community

CALandLIN
Explorer
Oct 08, 2020
Perspective users should read this link.

Click Here!
otrfun
Explorer II
Oct 11, 2020
The base/post commander alone determines entrance and security requirements for the respective location under their charge. They alone have the authority to make the access process easy or extremely restrictive---based on mission requirements.

Some base/posts with critical missions may require your RV to be searched (by canine patrols) before entry. While other locations with more lax missions will allow guests with no military affiliation to accompany military members on base/post with no pass of any kind.
monkey44
Nomad II
Oct 11, 2020
otrfun wrote:
The base/post commander alone determines entrance and security requirements for the respective location under their charge. They alone have the authority to make the access process easy or extremely restrictive---based on mission requirements.

Some base/posts with critical missions may require your RV to be searched (by canine patrols) before entry. While other locations with more lax missions will allow guests with no military affiliation to accompany military members on base/post with no pass of any kind.

This is the correct answer ^^^^^^^^^

M44- US Navy Retired ...
NamMedevac_70
Explorer II
Nov 13, 2020
Some of us disabled vets have been fortunate to have both the military tan disabled ID card and VA Health card with notation such as PH that allows full access to military bases such as Travis AFB and Fort Hood for me. Also I have flown Space A on USAF aircraft including the T-39 Sabra Liner executive jet and lumbering C-54 transport and T-29 Navigator Trainer converted to scheduled passenger service between San Antonio and Washington, D.C. Flying Space A is an adventure to be experienced at least once. Dustoff Three Zero.

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