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***image1***Issue:
My son and I recently visited the military personnel flight customer service to replace his ID card. After waiting 90 minutes, we learned that in the absence of a “General Power of Attorney,” his mother, the active-duty service member, would have to leave her duties and appear to register him. According to our clerk, nothing else would suffice.
I am upset that, by no means of posting, was this conveyed beforehand. Would it be too much to ask that this requirement be posted beside other office notices? Perhaps when I called to make the appointment or when signing in on the computer, an obvious notice could be broadcast.
Response:
I appreciate your concerns. First, let me address who has to be present to get a new ID card. It is a longstanding Air Force mandate that either the military sponsor be present to sign or create a power of attorney for their representative to be present on their behalf. This is not only to ensure the integrity of our system, but also for the security of every person who works and lives on our military installations. Since the sponsor is ultimately responsible for his dependents, the sponsor needs to know when those dependents are requesting military-related benefits. While I’m sure your intentions were legitimate, some are not and try to circumvent their sponsors to procure unauthorized benefits.
Second, the Ramstein MPF customer service office uses an electronic sign-in system to not only track the order in which customers are serviced, but also to track average wait times.
The customer service staff has worked hard to implement procedures to improve the service they provide to the more than 3,000 customers they service per month. In fact over the past year, the average wait time has decreased from 60 to 14 minutes. Because they offer so many services, it would be impractical to post information on every scenario they may encounter.
There are pamphlets posted in the lobby, which provide useful, general information on services such as command sponsorship and family SGLI. However, if you just have a simple question or need clarification on necessary documentation, come up to one of the customer service representatives, and they will be glad to answer your question.
