ID.me began with a simple goal: to make life easier and safer for military families. As a third generation soldier, I found purpose in helping our military community realize financial savings through access to discounts and services. Today, we empower over 14 million members of the military community to safely access services and benefits from government to the private sector.
As we approach Veterans Day, I want to share ID.me’s story and what it means to support America’s fighting men, women, and their families, who have sacrificed to protect our way of life.
I joined the military to serve America. My grandfather, a Command Sergeant Major, spent 66 months in combat spanning World War II, Korea and two tours in Vietnam. My father, an Army Colonel, spent 30 years in the military and retired after commanding an artillery brigade. I had big boots to fill. After 9/11, I knew I wanted to be an Army Ranger, and I prepared myself to lead soldiers into combat. I eventually led a reconnaissance platoon on over 450 combat patrols.
While wearing the uniform, I experienced firsthand the goodwill and generosity of the American people. From “thank you for your service” to strangers anonymously picking up the tab for lunch, I was deeply touched by the support I experienced. When I took off my uniform, I still felt that goodwill, but I found serious obstacles that harmed privacy and reduced access to programs.
FTC data shows that military service members suffer from identity theft at much higher rates than non-military consumers.[1] Simultaneously, brands didn’t have a way to verify military service online – which meant programs were only available in-person. For military families who live overseas, this status quo effectively blocked them from access. For Veterans, brands would ask them to produce in-person a separation form called a DD-214 that contains sensitive personal information, a request that increases risk of identity theft.
These experiences motivated me to start ID.me. Today, more than 14 million members of the military community use ID.me’s portable login to easily and securely access benefits and services across the government, non-profit and commercial sectors. ID.me has facilitated over 414 million transactions so military members, veterans, and their families can benefit from financial savings, non-profit programs, transition services, and digital government benefits and services.
Through our partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), we empower Veterans to prove their identity online so they can access important VA programs that require advanced security. We pioneered new and more inclusive verification pathways to ensure Veterans who live overseas could access benefits they earned. Today, over 5.3 million Veterans use ID.me to conveniently access VA services through VA.gov and other VA websites.
Bridging the identity verification gap with the Veteran Service Organizations (VSO) community remains a personal and integral part of our mission. ID.me has partnered with the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. (VFW) since 2018, and has removed the burden of completing the login process across websites. We partner with Veteran non-profits like Vet Tix, which provides free tickets to military users, and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, which trains and supports Veteran entrepreneurs and business owners.
Serving our military community is core to who ID.me is as a company. There is no more honorable purpose than serving those who serve. Our work is a response to President Lincoln’s call to care for those who have served in his 2nd Inaugural Address: “to care for him who shall have borne the battle.” We are thankful for the opportunity to give back to the community who protects our way of life.
[1] https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2020/05/identity-theft-causing-outsized-harm-our-troops
