I wonder how much these trinkets are costing out of the MODs budget?

Not a lot I would have thought. Other concerns give me a card with my name on it for free. The underlying data it is based on already exists.

Must be part of the pilot scheme 😊

Mog

Does that mean only the two winged master race are entitled . . . again (sigh) ;-)

Johnny Mercer:
As of midnight last night (yes the team were up watching it go live) anyone can now apply for a veteran’s ID card who has served in the UK’s Armed Forces.

Years of work including a £45m effort to digitise veterans records has matured today.

​​​​​​​https://www.gov.uk/veteran-card

Still up to a year to get your records though lol.

Well that was high tech and exciting! It even read my passport chip. Trouble is it turned on the contactless reader in my phone to do it but it left it on and I had to dig into the nether regions of my phone to find how to turn it off again.

Hmm, on seeing the above I thought I'd have a go. Jumped through the online hoops of a Gov .UK One Login, Photo of passport, scanned passport chip, scanned face with coloured lights… Submitted info OK ✅. Submitted Address with start year of address and got no further for some reason. .???

Having to switch back and fore between iPad & iPhone probably didn’t help?

​​​​​​Edit: Retried using my iPhone only and all OK and accepted now!

I got a we can't use this type message after registering for Gov.uk One, I restarted the card application and it accepted it.

My application hung up after the security question. It asked about details of a bank loan repayment, but I don't have any loan....

When I contacted the help line, a very pleasant lady said that there are still some bugs in the system, so they'll be sending me a paper application form instead. Fortunately I still have some unused passport photos!

If you haven't got the latest iphone or an Android phone with NFC (Near Field Communication) apply via the paper route. 2 hours of my life I won't get back.

I started the process on my desktop computer and ploughed through the 'create Gov.UK One account', then the passport and biometric chip scanning etc etc - switching backwards and forwards from pc to phone as required. Everything accepted, so good to go I thought. Back to the Veteran application page and nope, all that newly created identity data and photos not enough, had to upload a passport-type photo from my phone in order to complete the application. Ah, well - just have to wait eight weeks now for it to arrive...

Having received mine I'm still no wiser as to what it's used for ? Until that becomes clear I'll store it with all the other "might need that" items I've collected over the years.

NEO

The instructions at the start list the things you will need. In my case, passport, NI number and passport picture, it even specifies the maximum file size for the picture, I used the picture I used for my last passport application and checked the file size at the same time. I did the application on my laptop and used by Android phone camera and NFC to load the passport details. Once you have your ducks in a row and follow the instructions, it is not too hard to follow the instructions and I gained the Govt ID check app on my phone in the process.

Yes, I found it very straightforward and took about 5-10 minutes

Applied on 29 Jan, received in the mail on 5 Feb, considering there was a w/e in the middle, that is a pretty good turn round, BZ to all concerned.

Started my application just before Christmas. Got an email this morning saying my application has been received and subject to verification will get my card within 8 weeks. Nowhere as quick as some of those above.

I applied for mine late on Sunday 28 January and received it on Monday 05 February. Good Show.

I applied for mine on Sunday 28 January as well and no sign of it yet! 🤷‍♂️

These cards are totally useless. Back in November some of my retired officer colleagues attended a formal dinner at RAF Halton. While their names were 'on the list' in the MGR, and their transit accommodation keys eagerly awaited them, they were refused entry on production of their RAF Veterans' Cards but, fortunately, had their driving licences with them which were deemed as acceptable proof of identity.