From Gary and Maryanne Pratt
We recently heard about changes to access to the military campgrounds. It seems that the Air Force is restricting the sponsoring of guests for disabled veterans who have less than a 100% disability rating.
What this means to you is that if you camp on a military installation and you are a disabled veteran, but you are not 100% DAV or retired from the service, you can still have access to the base, commissary, Exchange and campground but you cannot bring your spouse/partner or adult children.
So far, we have only heard of a handful of affected installations, such as MacDill AFB, Nellis AFB, Kirtland AFB, Luke AFB, and Ellsworth AFB. Here is a link to the letter from the Air Force. (pdf)
We are shocked by this change. This restriction lacks common sense. Not being allowed to bring your spouse when you go camping is ridiculous. We value your feedback in the comment section below if you have been affected by this new rule, including if you have had a personal experience related to the new policy.
We welcome your letters: Send to editor@rvtravel.com
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##RVT1202b
OH well blame it on the 🤔🤔🤔
There’s gotta be a whole lot more to this story. Guessing it might be a broad response to a few people abusing the system.
In places like Key West NAS, the full-timers were using all sorts of workarounds to hog up the MWR campsites the Commander finally had to establish a very strict policy to prevent the abuse of the MWR facilities. MWR facilities are for the use of active duty first and then based on space available to other qualified users. I remember the days of my spouse and children not being able to be seen in the MTF because third-category users already hogged all the appointments. There always seem to be those few who think the military owes them.
Someone has lost their mind. “Yes, lieutenant, we will do it your way.”
The MEMORANDUM FOR ALL SECURITY FORCES COMMANDERS referenced in the article provides for exceptions, including “DAF continues to allow Installation Commanders to determine the need for the issuance of ePACS passes and cards for on-time, intermittent, or recurring access to their installations”
Also, many installations already restrict use of military campgrounds to active duty and retirees. Desert Eagle RV Park at Nellis, for instance, says “Open only to DoD cardholders and Retirees”. A VA health card is not a DoD card.
I agree with what you have said; especially “A VA health card is not a DoD card.”
We recently called macdill and were told as long as the sponsored party has two photo ids, they can enter. So, it’s typical military. One does one thing, the other does another, without explanation.
Who shops at base PX’s anyway most of their “stuff” is no cheaper than downtown.
The solution is found in Paragraph 3b. The “caregiver” need to be enrolled into DMDC by the VA. So it appears you need to contact the VA, then Visitor Control at an Installation to get the data linked to the veteran.
I guess I fail to understand this – appears to me to be hyped way out of proportion. The memo addresses “VA Caregivers” no longer being able to sponsor guests – as veterans were and still are. Disabled would, I presume, be a veteran. Caregivers with a VA card are not veterans and not authorized independent use of facilities for themselves or guests. That’s how I read this. They are required to be ID’d in the VA Health system backed up at the gate with a real drivers license. This is an elevated security precaution – for overall base protection. Proactive – not re-active!
I agree with you DW/ND. Veterans will still have access to military facilities. Another story blown out of proportion by…enter what ever group name you want.