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To ensure the transition to German fuel ration cards for authorized U.S. personnel goes as smoothly as possible, Installation Management Command – Europe officials are urging vehicle owners to take a look at their registration certificates.
The transition from fuel coupons to fuel ration cards will bring changes to vehicle registration certificates – a change in appearance and a change in the number of people you can designate as vehicle operators.
“The good thing about the change for registration certificates is that it is relatively painless,” said Dave Mattingly, Installation Management Command – Europe, Germany Fuel Ration Card Development program lead. “There is already a requirement for people to update vehicle registrations periodically; what this change does is require everyone to update registrations no later than May 22. When you do the update, you will be able to add eligible drivers and you will ensure that each driver has their own unique driver ID number.”
Ensuring accuracy and a unique ID for each driver in the information on the registrations is very important, said Wess Bryan, AAFES project manager for the Germany Fuel Ration Card Project, because the new fuel ration system’s first function is ration control. Any incorrect information may result in a driver having to fork out money at a gas station.
“The system audit requirement had to meet very robust control measures,” explained Mr. Bryan. “The system audit requirement is that every transaction under the new fuel card be 100 percent traceable down to the liter; where it was pumped; what time it was pumped; what vehicle it was put into by license plate number; and the names of the drivers on the fuel card that was used to purchase the fuel.”
It’s who is listed on the registration that people must think about because only individuals on the registration certificate will be authorized to use the fuel ration card.
Until now, the registry’s system has allowed no more than two names on a registration certificate. The new system will allow up to five eligible driver names in addition to the sponsor’s name, according to Thomas Lorenzini, U.S. Army Europe registrar.
“This is an opportunity to ensure you add your teenage driver to the registration or other individuals who may use the vehicle and may need to refuel the vehicle,” said Mr. Lorenzini. “Part of the rationing control requirement is that only authorized individuals receive rationed fuel.
As a way to meet that requirement, authorized individuals are listed on the registration with each having unique driver’s identification, such as a social security number or passport number. The new registration certificates will continue to only show the partial SSN or passport number to protect the identity of everyone.”
Mr. Lorenzini said that sponsors should contact their local USAREUR Field Registry Stations to update the registration certificates as soon as possible – and not later than May 22 – to ensure the registry has accurate information, lists all eligible drivers for each vehicle, and has a unique driver ID for each driver.
“By updating the information now, Esso and AAFES will be able to prepare your new fuel cards in advance and put them in your community mail box. If your registration information is not correct, then you will still be required to update your information at the USAREUR Field Registry Stations before coming to AAFES to have your new cards made one at a time,” said Mr. Lorenzini. “We understand some sponsors are either deployed or can’t make it to the registry.
So, a spouse may represent the sponsor if the sponsor’s name and the spouse’s name are already printed in the ‘owner’s name’ box on the current vehicle registration certification.”
If the spouse’s name isn’t already in the box, Mr. Lorenzini said the spouse will need a power of attorney that authorizes the spouse to make changes to vehicle registration certificates.
After vehicle registration certificates are squared away, sponsors will receive ration cards in the mail or by going directly to AAFES. If vehicles are already registered, fuel ration cards will be delivered to community or unit mail room boxes. If a sponsor registers a vehicle in USAREUR after June 1, the sponsor will need to take the registration documents from the field registration station to the nearest AAFES card issue site and receive an activated fuel ration card from the AAFES card issue site.
There will be a “rolling implementation” across Germany to activate cards for all vehicles that are currently registered with USAREUR. AAFES will send two separate surge teams with extra card activation equipment to provide the best possible service for the large numbers of vehicles at each military community across Germany.
Fuel ration cards for currently registered vehicles will be distributed to military communities across Germany in advance. The planned card activation schedule for Vogelweh is Oct. 6 to Nov. 2; Ramstein is scheduled for Nov. 3 to Dec. 15.
Information about registration – such as locations of Field Registration Offices and card issue sites – or fuel ration cards is available at www.imcom-europe.army.mil/sites/news/fuelcard.asp
Vehicles that are due for registration renewal between May 27 and the rolling implementation dates for the community where the vehicle is registered will result in Esso and AAFES not making the cards in advance for those vehicles. The sponsor or authorized spouse will be able to go to AAFES for their fuel ration card directly after renewing their registration. In addition, if the sponsor or authorized spouse has additional vehicles that are not yet due for registration renewal, they will be authorized to change to the new registration certificate and have AAFES make and issue fuel cards for the additional vehicles as well.
All cases of registering a vehicle with USAREUR on or after May 27 will result in the vehicle sponsor being authorized to go directly to AAFES to receive their fuel ration card for that vehicle.
(Courtesy of U.S. Army Installation Management Command – Europe)
