Military ID cards play a critical role in the United States Armed Forces by identifying troops, members, and military workers. Retirees and dependents, such as family members, are also issued ID cards. Along with serving general identification purposes, military IDs can be extremely advanced, and are capable of performing a variety of functions.

The military ID most commonly issued today is appropriately called the “Common Access Card” or CAC. Infused with several types of sophisticated card technologies, the Common Access Card is issued to active military members, civilian military employees, National Guard members, reserve personnel, and certain contractors.

The U.S. Department of Defense recently developed an enhanced Common Access Card. The new and improved CAC is a contactless smart card that's integrated with access control systems for military facilities and networks. The card also provides authentication, and uses powerful encryption to securely store sensitive data.