FORT DRUM, N.Y. (WWTI) — Changes have been made for military-civilian retirees.

Department of Defense Civilian Retiree identification cards are no longer valid or accepted as identification at federal installations, according to Fort Drum officials.

This is following a decision from DoD officials as the Department has stopped issuing new DoD Civilian Retirees ID cards and is not renewing existing cards.

To access Fort Drum, civilian retirees must now go through the Visitor Control Center and submit to a voluntary background check to receive a pass for the installation.

Officials said that civilian retirees who have REAL ID-compliant identification and retirement documents can complete the brief background check and register with Visitor Control Center staff. Once registered, retirees will have access to Fort Drum for one year and may enter at any gate. At the end of the year, retirees must re-register.

Civilian retirees without REAL ID must complete this process every time they need to access the installation.

These changes officially went into effect on Friday, September 1, 2023.