The benefits population is defined by roles. There are roles that have a direct affiliation with the DoD, such as an active duty Service member, or those that have an association to someone who is affiliated, such as the spouse of an active duty member. This section reflects benefit eligibility established by law and associated DoD policy, and addresses the roles that receive benefits. These benefits can include civilian health care, direct care at an MTF, commissary, exchange, and MWR, which are conveyed on the authorized CAC or uniformed services ID card. Sections 161.10 through 161.22 identify the categories of eligible persons and their authorized benefits as they would be recorded in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS).

(a) Sections 161.10 through 161.22 reflect the eligibility of persons for the benefits administered by the uniformed services in accordance with 10 U.S.C. chapter 55 and DoD Instruction 1330.17, “Armed Services Commissary Operations” (available at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/133017p.pdf); DoD Instruction 1330.21, “Armed Services Exchange Regulations” (available at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/133021p.pdf); and DoD Instruction 1015.10.

(1) Additional benefits may be authorized by DoD Instruction 1330.17, DoD Instruction 1330.21, and DoD Instruction 1015.10, but are not printed on the DoD ID card; access to benefits may be facilitated in another manner in accordance with DoD Instruction 1330.17, DoD Instruction 1330.21, and DoD Instruction 1015.10.

(2) Installation commanders may never authorize benefits beyond those allowed by DoD Instruction 1330.17, DoD Instruction 1330.21, and DoD Instruction 1015.10, but they may deny privileges indicated when base support facilities cannot handle the burden imposed as authorized by DoD Instruction 1330.17, DoD Instruction 1330.21, and DoD Instruction 1015.10.

(b) A sponsor's begin date for benefit eligibility is based on the date the sponsor begins their affiliation with the Department.

(c) A dependent's begin date for benefit eligibility is based on the date the dependent becomes associated as an eligible dependent to an eligible sponsor.

(d) Guidance on benefit eligibility begin dates and ID card expiration dates based on benefits will be maintained at http://www.cac.mil.

(e) Refer to the figure 1 to this subpart for abbreviations for the tables in this subpart.