Operations and Management

Navy Region Northwest Operations and Management

Links to Navy Region Northwest Operations and Management pages are on the left.

REAL ID Act Implementation Began May 7, 2025

Implementation of the REAL ID Act began May 7, 2025. From that day on, anyone 18 years and older that plans to visit certain Federal facilities or fly domestically will need a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification to enter U.S. military bases or board federally regulated commercial aircraft. The standard access requirements remain the same for active duty & dependents, Dept. of War (DoW) civilian personnel, DoW retired personnel & dependents under the age of 18, vetted veterans in possession of a Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) and personnel that have been issued a Defense Biometric Identification Card (DBIDS) for Northwest U.S. Navy installation access. Access remains limited to credentialed personnel and authorized/vetted guests, and foreign national requests require additional screening and processing. Contact your installation Visitor Control Center or check your installation's website for access requirements as those can change over time.

https://cnrnw.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAVBASE-Kitsap/About/Installation-Guide/Visitor-Information/
https://cnrnw.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAS-Whidbey-Island/Base-Access-Real-ID-Act-VA-Requirements/
https://cnrnw.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NS-Everett/
https://cnrnw.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAVMAG-Indian-Island/

2023 - Retired Civilian Base Access Following Cancellation of Special ID

In February 2023, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness cancelled Department of War (DoW) civilian retiree identification card. As a result, federal civilian retirees wanting to access a Navy installation will be required to apply for a Defense Biometric Identifications Systems (DBIDS) ID card.

Applying for a DBIDS ID card can be done at the nearest Navy Visitor Control Center. DBIDS credentials will be issued to eligible personnel with “MWR Facility Privileges” on the back in the “Remarks” box, and be assigned to the “Facility Use” (yellow) category during enrollment. The limited use of MWR facilities by DoW civilian retirees will remain at the discretion of the installation commander.

Questions and Answers:

Q. How do I get onto a Navy base after my DoW Civilian Retiree ID becomes inactive?
A. You can apply for a Defense Biometric Identifications Systems (DBIDS) ID access card through the Navy installations Visitor Control Center (VCC). Eligible personnel must visit the VCC in person and bring proper identification as well as an SF-50 indicating retirement from civilian government service.
For the background portion, you are encouraged to either complete the SECNAV Form 5512/1 and bring to the VCC or pre-register your information online at https://dbids-global-enroll.dmdc.mil/preenrollui/#!/ and bring the accompanying QR code to the VCC in order to streamline wait times at the Navy installation’s VCC.

Q. Once I have my DBIDS access card, will I still have to go through the visitor center for each visit?
A. No, you will be able to present your DBIDS access card to the gate guard to get onto base and use permitted MWR facilities.

Q. Will I need to renew my DBIDS registration in the future or do I only need to get this card once?
A. DBIDS credentials can be authorized up to three years, subject to local policy.

Q. Will one DBIDS access card grant me access to all US Navy bases?
A. An individual is required to have their DBIDS credential provisioned at each installation that they intend to access. By saying this, the individual must go to the VCC prior to entering an installation for the first time. The background check portion of enrollment will have been completed at the first installation, so all that they need to do is establish identity and purpose for entering each subsequent installation. Subject to the installation commanding officer’s discretion or policy, the VCC may now add access to that installation to the credential.

Q. If I do not have a DoW retiree ID card, how can I utilize MWR facilities?
A. DBIDS credentials will be issued to eligible personnel with "MWR Facility Privileges" on the back in the "Remarks" box, and be assigned to the "Facility Use" (Yellow) category during enrollment. The limited use of MWR facilities by DoW civilian retirees will remain at the discretion of the installation commander.

Google Translation Disclaimer

Google Translate, a third party service provided by Google, performs all translations directly and dynamically.
Commander, Navy Region Northwest, cnrnw.cnic.navy.mil has no control over the features, functions, or performance of the Google Translate service.
The automated translations should not be considered exact and should be used only as an approximation of the original English language content.
This service is meant solely for the assistance of limited English-speaking users of the website.
Commander, Navy Region Northwest, cnrnw.cnic.navy.mil does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any information translated.
Some items cannot be translated, including but not limited to image buttons, drop down menus, graphics, photos, or portable document formats (pdfs).
Commander, Navy Region Northwest, cnrnw.cnic.navy.mil does not directly endorse Google Translate or imply that it is the only language translation solution available to users.
All site visitors may choose to use similar tools for their translation needs. Any individuals or parties that use Commander, Navy Region Northwest, cnrnw.cnic.navy.mil content in translated form, whether by Google Translate or by any other translation services, do so at their own risk.
IE users: Please note that Google Translate may not render correctly when using Internet Explorer. Users are advised to use MS Edge, Safari, Chrome, or Firefox browser to take full advantage of the Google Translate feature.
The official text of content on this site is the English version found on this website. If any questions arise related to the accuracy of the information contained in translated text, refer to the English version on this website, it is the official version.