Photocopying of military identification cards Published Nov. 8, 2011 By Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense - Reserve Affairs ARLINGTON, Va. -- Recent incidents regarding the photocopying of military identification cards and common access cards by commercial establishments to verify military affiliation or provide government rates for service have been reported. Personnel are reminded that the photocopying of U.S. government identification is a violation of Title 18, U.S. Code Part I, Chapter 33, Section 701 and punishable by both fine and/or imprisonment. Many military members, family members and DoD employees are unaware of this law. Criminal elements and terrorist organizations place U.S. government identifications as a high value logistical element when planning acts against the U.S. military. Although commercial establishments are not prohibited from asking for military/government identification, many government personnel and commercial establishments are unaware of the prohibition on duplication of government identification. Unfortunately, there are no safeguards in place to ensure a government identification card won't be counterfeited or cloned based on a photocopy by a commercial establishment. It is recommended that military and DoD personnel provide a state drivers license or other form of photo identification to be photocopied if an establishment insists on a photocopy of the traveler's identification. However, this does not apply to medical establishments like doctor's offices or hospitals who are allowed take a copy for the purpose of filing insurance claims and other government agencies in the performance of official government business.