My son, 8 year Air Force Veteran, has had some troubles in the last year or 2 that have found him homeless in a situation where he has lost or had stolen all identifying documents. Without any sort of documents to prove who he is he can't get an apartment or a job or do most anything else that normal folks do. He's caught in a catch 22 because everyone requires photo I.D. documents to issue an I.D., none of which he has.

Has anyone else found themselves in similar circumstances and found a way to break the never ending circle? We are at our wits end to try and find a way to replace all his I.D. documents!

I would start with getting a replacment social security card and a copy of his birth certificate. Go from there.

Wouldn't his fingerprints be his ID. And, the Air Force surely still has all his info. Those would prove who he really is. Then, apply for other documents.

Start with a birth certificate, you can mail away for it.

Then get a new social security card, you can apply online.

You as a parent can get the birth certificate and use your address as his.

With that, you can build from there.

He can get a driver's license/state ID using those plus some paperwork from you or the shelter if he is in one.

A visit to a nearby Air Force Base like Whiteman orderly room should get the ball rolling to restore his documents and records.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Wouldn't his fingerprints be his ID. And, the Air Force surely still has all his info. Those would prove who he really is. Then, apply for other documents.

This was my first thought.

quote:

Originally posted by BlackAgnes:
A visit to a nearby Air Force Base like Whiteman orderly room should get the ball rolling to restore his documents and records.

Tough to get on base without any ID.

Birth certificate and SS card is where I would start.

Local veteran's counselor possibly able to help? We have an office in our county building and these are the type of situations that we have them for.

Birth certificate should be fairly easy to track down. The VA should be able to help as well.

Get arrested. That will get him a state photo id.

(Mostly joking)

We requested a certified copy of his birth certificate but according to the state of Texas we have to allow 30 business days to process the request.

The biggest issue is that even the military requires a photo I.D. in order for them to replace his lost military I.D. We were at Jefferson Barracks DEERS office just this afternoon and they wouldn't do anything without some other photo I.D.

Social Security office also wants a photo I.D. State wants a photo I.D. in order to issue a State I.D. All very frustrating.

I'm going to search and see if there is a local Veterans counselor as a previous poster mentioned and see if we can get some help through that avenue.

Meanwhile, my otherwise homeless veteran son is stuck staying with us as he cannot function without photo I.D.!

Spinzone, although you posted as a joke, I was thinking along those same lines as he has been arrested numerous times during the past several years. I may try to get a mugshot but not sure that will be considered as adequate photo I.D.

His legal troubles and incarceration are the culprit in his losing all his identifying documents. He has had his wallet stolen several times.

quote:

Originally posted by Steve Collins:
State wants a photo I.D. in order to issue a State I.D.

Bummer.

Around here all you need is a birth certificate. It's how I got my fake ID all those years ago. I took my brother's birth certificate down to the driver's license station, told them I lost my license and needed a duplicate. Worked like a charm. My picture on his license.

quote:

Social Security office also wants a photo I.D.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You can request a replacment on line for free. Do not go to the office. This stuff does take time.

https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/

I'm sorry you and your son have to go through all this, Steve.

No help to offer other than what you have already done with requesting the birth certificate. Just want you know I'm going to say a prayer that he gets back on his feet. What is his name?

He should be enrolled in DEERS, which uses a thumbprint as part of the enrollment. Next trick,get to the VA.

As you are a Missouri resident, to recoup military documents you might try the Missouri Dept of Military Affairs in Jefferson City.

https://www.moguard.ngb.mil/Re...es/Veteran-Services/

Even if he wasn’t a member of the Missouri National Guard, all those triplicate copies of personnel actions end up in the State from where he initially joined the military once he gets separated from service.

The States are also fallback location for documents, after the Military Archives Center in St Louis, as was discovered when they had a fire in the 1970s.

Hope this helps.

The birth cert seems the best first step. In the meantime, I had this idea.

Since his info/ID's were stolen, I'd say there is an even chance his identity as a whole is stolen. You might inquire with an entity that deals with stolen identities. They may have some common insight on how to navigate some of these catch 22's: Ya gotta have a photo ID to get a photo ID stuff.

Try here for your MO county VA service officers...
https://mvc.dps.mo.gov/service/serviceofficer/