Philip Terzian
In the next two years, about 4 million identification cards will be issued to soldiers, sailors and airmen on active duty, selected reserves, civilian Pentagon employees and military contractors. The cards, which feature two photographs, two bar codes, a magnetic stripe and computer chip embedded in the plastic, will be nothing like old military ID cards or dog tags. They will plug in to multiple agencies and databases, authorize access to secure rooms, encrypt the holder’s e-mail, and enable him to purchase food and supplies. If a private first class should check into her base hospital, the card will summon all available medical records.
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