Quality of New CAP Membership Card

davidsinn · August 31, 2011, 05:06:17 AM

Quote from: Extremepredjudice on August 31, 2011, 04:55:43 AM
Quote from: davidsinn on August 31, 2011, 04:51:14 AM
Quote from: Extremepredjudice on August 31, 2011, 04:45:04 AM
you'd need to send yours in, to have the barcode dublicated...

Why? Barcodes are standard. My shiny new Droid says that the barcode on mine is my ID number.
Mm, for some reason I thought they were more unique. My bad.

Nope. In fact I once installed a barcode font for work to replicate a government shipping tag because I was updating the drawings to be digital. You could google some and install them and print out anything you wanted in barcode.

a2capt · August 31, 2011, 03:24:09 PM

LOL.. we had a piece of work ex-group commander get thrown in the brig at a Navy installation for using a 'fake' CAP ID card.

The best part about the whole thing? He could have used other ID to get on that base that night. That no one would have questioned in the slightest, but he had to be a "Captain" instead..

He got what he deserved, and CAP got rid of baggage. That was a good thing.

davidsinn · August 31, 2011, 05:10:19 PM

Quote from: a2capt on August 31, 2011, 03:24:09 PM
LOL.. we had a piece of work ex-group commander get thrown in the brig at a Navy installation for using a 'fake' CAP ID card.

The best part about the whole thing? He could have used other ID to get on that base that night. That no one would have questioned in the slightest, but he had to be a "Captain" instead..

He got what he deserved, and CAP got rid of baggage. That was a good thing.

Did he make up a CAP ID card or did he use an issued one? Whenever I try to get on a base I just automatically pull out my CAP ID and my driver's license and hand them both over at once.

a2capt · August 31, 2011, 05:42:26 PM

In the earlier part of last decade.. he made up his own kind of CAP ID, in the days of the only picture option was that laminated one, signed by your "unit commander", and it stated that it's valid only when presented with a valid CAP ID card from NHQ. He didn't like it, and did just what is recommended above, and presented that. Apparently the sentries at a rather high profile Navy installation that at the time hosted our group HQ, thought it was rather cheesy and "why are you trying to get on base at 3AM with that??" and threw him in the brig.

The straw that broke the back of a rather controversial CAP 'career' at that, he was relieved and gone after that.

JC004 · August 31, 2011, 06:25:32 PM

Quote from: a2capt on August 31, 2011, 05:42:26 PM
In the earlier part of last decade.. he made up his own kind of CAP ID, in the days of the only picture option was that laminated one, signed by your "unit commander", and it stated that it's valid only when presented with a valid CAP ID card from NHQ. He didn't like it, and did just what is recommended above, and presented that. Apparently the sentries at a rather high profile Navy installation that at the time hosted our group HQ, thought it was rather cheesy and "why are you trying to get on base at 3AM with that??" and threw him in the brig.

The straw that broke the back of a rather controversial CAP 'career' at that, he was relieved and gone after that.

Why WAS he?

SarDragon · August 31, 2011, 08:41:13 PM

I knew the guy. He had good intentions, but had problems with good judgement. Sadly, he failed to recognize his limitations in that area, and it reached up and bit him in the butt. Hard.

As for being relieved, I can't point to a specific reg, but let's just say that he had lost the confidence, of his commander, in his ability to fulfill his duties as a group commander. He "screwed the pooch."

davidsinn · August 31, 2011, 08:52:52 PM

Quote from: a2capt on August 31, 2011, 05:42:26 PM
In the earlier part of last decade.. he made up his own kind of CAP ID, in the days of the only picture option was that laminated one, signed by your "unit commander", and it stated that it's valid only when presented with a valid CAP ID card from NHQ. He didn't like it, and did just what is recommended above, and presented that. Apparently the sentries at a rather high profile Navy installation that at the time hosted our group HQ, thought it was rather cheesy and "why are you trying to get on base at 3AM with that??" and threw him in the brig.

The straw that broke the back of a rather controversial CAP 'career' at that, he was relieved and gone after that.

That was dumb.

There are actually two things suggested above. One is design a new one for submission to become the new ID card. The other is to duplicate the current one but on much better quality plastic.

Eclipse · September 23, 2011, 12:13:24 AM

Got my renewal one today.

Printing quality and clarity is much better. The thickness is exactly the same as my library card.

Photo was missing. NHQ said I was the second call on that today and they were having an "issue" - no ETA on the fix.

a2capt · September 23, 2011, 12:38:06 AM

LOL.. They sure do seem to be having quite a hell of a time with ID cards for the past several years in one way or another. I mean, how hard is it?

spacecommand · September 23, 2011, 04:51:07 PM

I'm not clear on the details, but I really liked the hard PVC plastic card (the one with the hologram) that was issued for a short period of time (the $5) one, it felt good like a real card and my picture was decent.

Apparently, CAP switched vendors or went back to inhouse processing (I don't know the details) but the new ID card (the current one without the hologram) appears to be on the same paper stock as the old CAP Membership card (library card, I think it's Telsin), and my picture looks like the pixels from super mario brothers...

majdomke · September 23, 2011, 06:16:47 PM

I'm not too thrilled with the new ones either. The old ones we had to pay for were much nicer and better quality. My pic looks terrible on mine yet is perfect in eServices. I've seen other members of my unit and their pic is good. It's odd since I'm the one who took them and uploaded them all. Something clearly not right in the process. The wording on the back of mine is also not consistent with what others are getting. I got mine in May '11 and other at the same time have different wording. No idea why. And for cadets not getting their pic on... NHQ says not until they turn 18 but one of my 17 yr old cadets who just renewed had his pic on his. So who knows... I renew next month so I'm looking forward to see the quality of the next revision.

jimmydeanno · September 23, 2011, 10:30:01 PM

I could really care less.

My Super Cuts "frequent buyer card" is just a business card that they stamp. I pull that out of my wallet far more than I do my CAPID. It seems to last a year without any issues.

I'm failing to understand why people need a 1/4th inch thick piece of plastic that says they are a member of CAP. Y'all act like you use it as your primary ID, whipping it out at restaurants for age verification, handing to the police when you get pulled over, showing it at nightclubs, casino entrances, etc.

My unit meets on a military base, so if I didn't have another ID the most I'd have to pull it out is MAYBE 60 times a year. Even then, they ask for a real identification to go with it, so what is the point?

RADIOMAN015 · September 23, 2011, 10:44:17 PM

The new card seems to be adequate for its' intended usage. I don't need any more thick plastic cards in my wallet so the thin design is great. :clap: :angel:
RM

JC004 · September 24, 2011, 12:51:59 AM

Quote from: RADIOMAN015 on September 23, 2011, 10:44:17 PM
The new card seems to be adequate for its' intended usage. I don't need any more thick plastic cards in my wallet so the thin design is great. :clap: :angel:
RM

Well that solves it. Durability or not causing a security guard or something to be concerned isn't an issue. RM has more space in his wallet now and he doesn't need a CAP ID card for the gate anyway.

I still have to order a new one to replace the one that arrived creased. Or make my own nice one?

a2capt · September 24, 2011, 02:50:47 AM

It's not about having "a thick card", it's about having something that doesn't look or feel like I made it in the back room. A first impression on many people, you fork over the ID card and they get this thing thats got a crummy looking artifact-laiden photo on it.

Briski · September 24, 2011, 03:45:55 AM

Quote from: RADIOMAN015 on September 23, 2011, 10:44:17 PM
The new card seems to be adequate for its' intended usage. I don't need any more thick plastic cards in my wallet so the thin design is great. :clap: :angel:
RM

Congrats, RM!

You posted a positive comment.

Walkman · September 24, 2011, 11:49:44 PM

I just got mine. It's plastic, not as thick as a credit card, and just a hair less stiff than my driver's license. It certainly doesn't seem flimsy, AND my photo looks just fine. Maybe I got a new batch?

JC004 · September 25, 2011, 03:38:12 AM

idk. Would it hold a crease from mailing? Mine did. That's what we started with here.

Eclipse · October 11, 2011, 07:58:57 PM

Got my replacement, now it has a photo. Color and accuracy is better than the old one, the photo has just a hair of pixelation, more so than before, but acceptable, and the scaling is a little wider than tall (only noticeable if you hold them side-by-side).

Thinner than before, but no real issue in my ID holder, etc. To JC004, if you tried you could certainly put a crease in it from mailing, but mine
was fine.

It's no smartcard, but it does the job.

Thrashed · October 11, 2011, 08:10:23 PM

I don't think I have ever used my CAP card for anything. I just sign in with my number at events. I've never been on a base (for CAP business), nor is there one anywhere nearby. Some day some one will actually ask to see it.