Walmart, military ID, and personal checks

[GunnyGene]

In wallyworld this morning w/wife picking up a couple things, and got in line at the checkout behind a guy and his wife about my age (70+) who was trying to pay for his stuff with a personal check. Walmart policy (posted on the counter) is that military id is acceptable for this purpose (out of state also, so didn't have a MS DL). But there's a hitch. The register system doesn't like anything other than SSN on your military ID.

As the military folks here know, DoD quit using SSN's on ID's several years ago because of identity theft concerns, etc. Apparently wally's programming didn't get the memo.

The cashier called a manager to over-ride the system, but apparently it cannot be overridden. So here we were, 2 old vets and our wives holding up traffic, while the cashier and her boss tried to make the system do something it refused to do, and everyone getting more steamed by the second. Eventually, the guy just dug out some cash, which I offered to help him with since it looked like they were a couple dollars short, but between him and his wife they came up with barely enough to cover their purchases so he refused my offer.

Me, I'd have just told the store to stuff it and gone someplace else.

 

[Pat-inCO]

Me, I'd have just told the store to stuff it and gone someplace else.

The only thing different I would do is just walk out. Don't say anything.
They can not argue with you when nothing is said. 8)
You just turn and walk away. :wink:

 

[graygun]

Sounds like wally needs to change some things. Paying with checks is dying but a patron should not have this stuff happening while trying to make the corp a little richer.

 

[Busterswoodshop]

It says right on my social security card " Not For Identification Purposes ".

 

[GunnyGene]

Me, I'd have just told the store to stuff it and gone someplace else.

The only thing different I would do is just walk out. Don't say anything.
They can not argue with you when nothing is said. 8)
You just turn and walk away. :wink:

This wasn't the cashier's or managers fault. They were very apologetic, and the cashier was nearly in tears. There's a lot of active and retired military here, so they know how it ought to be, but there was nothing they could do. This is a Walmart Corporate problem.

 

[Bob Wright]

By "SSN" I assume you to mean Social Security Number? When did military personnel start having those?

Only number I had was my serial number: RA25 254 xxx. And W4XXX was my laundry mark.

Bob Wright

 

[737tdi]

I walked away from a purchase at Lowes not long ago. A little bit different reason but still ID related. In Texas you can have your Veteran status on your drivers license which I do. Was purchasing some wood and misc. other things and presented my DL to receive the 10% Vet discount. Guess what, it wasn't good enough. You have to have a Veterans Administration card to get the discount. I was shocked, I have not yet enrolled with them since my medical is covered by my company. The lady apologized but it was to late, I felt a bit embarrassed and the folks behind me just wanted to check out. I said well, this is the last time I will give any business to this company, since "everyone talks Lowes up because they give vet. discounts". Haven't and won't go back.

Karl

 

[graygun]

By "SSN" I assume you to mean Social Security Number? When did military personnel start having those?

Only number I had was my serial number: RA25 254 xxx. And W4XXX was my laundry mark.

Bob Wright

1970 I believe

 

[speedsixman]

737tdi,
I don't have a VA card either since I am covered by retirement system.
Guess I won't be shopping at Lowe's if I expect the discount.
I think that Home Depot has the same requirement.

Myron

 

[graygun]

McDonald's gives the discount and just takes your word for it.

 

[Boxhead]

In wallyworld this morning w/wife picking up a couple things, and got in line at the checkout behind a guy and his wife about my age (70+) who was trying to pay for his stuff with a personal check. Walmart policy (posted on the counter) is that military id is acceptable for this purpose (out of state also, so didn't have a MS DL). But there's a hitch. The register system doesn't like anything other than SSN on your military ID.

As the military folks here know, DoD quit using SSN's on ID's several years ago because of identity theft concerns, etc. Apparently wally's programming didn't get the memo.

The cashier called a manager to over-ride the system, but apparently it cannot be overridden. So here we were, 2 old vets and our wives holding up traffic, while the cashier and her boss tried to make the system do something it refused to do, and everyone getting more steamed by the second. Eventually, the guy just dug out some cash, which I offered to help him with since it looked like they were a couple dollars short, but between him and his wife they came up with barely enough to cover their purchases so he refused my offer.

Me, I'd have just told the store to stuff it and gone someplace else.

I give the employees credit for working as hard as they did trying to make it work.

 

[Mtneer]

By "SSN" I assume you to mean Social Security Number? When did military personnel start having those?

Only number I had was my serial number: RA25 254 xxx. And W4XXX was my laundry mark.

Bob Wright

The Navy and Marines changed just before I was released from active duty in 1972. :)

http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/social-security-numbers.html

 

[Colonialgirl]

I walked away from a purchase at Lowes not long ago. A little bit different reason but still ID related. In Texas you can have your Veteran status on your drivers license which I do. Was purchasing some wood and misc. other things and presented my DL to receive the 10% Vet discount. Guess what, it wasn't good enough. You have to have a Veterans Administration card to get the discount. I was shocked, I have not yet enrolled with them since my medical is covered by my company. The lady apologized but it was to late, I felt a bit embarrassed and the folks behind me just wanted to check out. I said well, this is the last time I will give any business to this company, since "everyone talks Lowes up because they give vet. discounts". Haven't and won't go back.

Karl

Karl;
I DO USE the VA and I HAVE used my VA ID card at Lowes; easy peasy and got the discount. Home Depot doesn't accept it. Just go to the local VA Hospital, spend a bit of time and get an ID card; You Don't have to use it for Med Care, but its handy to have !!
:roll: :roll: :wink: :mrgreen:

 

[blackhawknj]

The SSN replaced the old service number in 1969. Yes, it says on the card "Not for identification purposes" but it became the taxpayer ID number in 1960-by administrative fiat.
No SSN on military IDs ? That's like not having a DL number on a license.

 

[wizofwas]

737tdi,
I don't have a VA card either since I am covered by retirement system.
Guess I won't be shopping at Lowe's if I expect the discount.
I think that Home Depot has the same requirement.

Myron

Just take a copy of your DD-214 in. It should work the same as an ID. Lowe's will give all Vets. a discount and Home Depot will only give some Vets. a discounts. I don't know the ones that Home Depot accepts, I just know that they won't give me a discount. I tried.

 

[TinkerDave]

By "SSN" I assume you to mean Social Security Number? When did military personnel start having those?

Only number I had was my serial number: RA25 254 xxx. And W4XXX was my laundry mark.

Bob Wright

Cold War vets like me used our SSN. I went active duty in 1982. They have since changed that policy, but I know during the 1980s my ID # was my SSN. TD

 

[prairieviper]

I still pay with personal checks and will continue to do so as long as that is possible. I do, however, carry more than one form of identification. Depending upon a military I.D. only is not a good idea. A driver's license and/or state issued I.D. is better. Even if you don't like credit cards and almost never use one, it is good to have one in case of emergencies such as the one described here.

On a side note, I would rather pay more somewhere else (not that Walmart is always has the best prices because they don't) than to buy from Walmart. Although there are times when I am forced to go to one of there stores due to circumstances, I try to avoid Walmart as much as possible.

 

[vito]

I shop at Lowes all the time, and always get the 10% discount. I just show my retired military ID, which does NOT contain my SSN, and have never been asked for other identification. It also works at Home Depot, but I just prefer to show at Lowe's.

FWIW, when I entered the service in 1966 we had "service numbers" (which I still remember even though we stopped using those numbers in 1969). Then we started using Social Security Numbers as our military service number, back when no one worried about "identity theft". When I retired in 1990 we were still using the SSN, and it was printed on the face of my retired ID card. When my card was replaced several years ago (it never expires, but my wife's dependent card expires every several years, so the military clerk replaced my card at the same time) the SSN no longer shows, and I now have a DOD ID number which I never use and have never memorized.

Final note: although you can usually get a small discount on motel charges if you are a member of AARP or AAA, it is worth asking (if you are retired military) if the motel gives a "military discount". I have found a number of places that say "yes" to that question, and do not limit it to Active Duty. Usually the discount is much greater than what I could get as a AAA member.

 

[contender]

"Karl;
I DO USE the VA and I HAVE used my VA ID card at Lowes; easy peasy and got the discount. Home Depot doesn't accept it. Just go to the local VA Hospital, spend a bit of time and get an ID card; You Don't have to use it for Med Care, but its handy to have !!"

"Just take a copy of your DD-214 in. It should work the same as an ID. Lowe's will give all Vets. a discount and Home Depot will only give some Vets. a discounts. I don't know the ones that Home Depot accepts, I just know that they won't give me a discount. I tried."

THIS!

My experiences exactly.

I've used my VA card at a Columbia SC Home Depot & it was the only one to accept it. My hometown HD refuses to recognize it. All the local Lowe's accept it & I often get a "Thanks for your service" comment as well.

The SSN should NOT be used for ID purposes,,, but it has been slowly getting entrenched as the "accepted" form of ID. I often refuse to give my SSN to those who ask,,, & I explain the law says it's not for ID purposes. After that,,, other forms get accepted.

 

[fiasconva]

A lot of state DMV's will issue a veteran's card for a small fee. Here in Va it's $10.00. All you have to do is take in a copy of your dd214 and you can even do it online. Lowe's gives you a 10% discount but it's supposed to only be on certain days. But that usually depends on which cashier you get. Some will give you the discount any time.

 

[Tensaw]

By "SSN" I assume you to mean Social Security Number? When did military personnel start having those?

Only number I had was my serial number: RA25 254 xxx. And W4XXX was my laundry mark.

Bob Wright

Just curious. Has anyone ever forgotten their military serial number? Mine is 2070-xxx.

 

[GunnyGene]

By "SSN" I assume you to mean Social Security Number? When did military personnel start having those?

Only number I had was my serial number: RA25 254 xxx. And W4XXX was my laundry mark.

Bob Wright

Just curious. Has anyone ever forgotten their military serial number? Mine is 2070-xxx.

Do you recall your first haircut after arriving at boot? Well they don't tell you this, but while you're getting your head shaved they also burned your service number into your brain stem. :wink: :lol:

 

[LuckenbachTexas]

I always ask for Military discounts. I generally don't expect much from walmart like an open register, floor help, or dealings with someone with signs of life in their eyes.

Walmart does charge tax on gift cards which is illegal.

 

[Colonialgirl]

RE: Shopping at Walmart;
I have never thought to try my VA Card at wally's world; I'll have to check with my son that works at one in Orlando.
Now for prices; It PAYS to know what you are shopping FOR; I find somethings cheaper at the local Publix (One dog treat item is $0.44 CHEAPER at Publix <$2.54 vs $2.98> than at Wally world same with assorted other items, some prices are the same; handy if you need to restock that item while in one or the other. I PREFER the meat at Publix, BETTER QUALITY and usually cheaper too (exception, twice now I have found the EXTRA LEAN <96% lean/4% fat> ground beef marked down on the pull date at Wally world; Down from $6.00/lb to $3.84/lb bought Three, bring them home and froze them )
So, if you regularly do the shopping take advantage of them ALL--LOL.