Course Catalog / BMU 105 / Lesson 1 of 5

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BMU 105

Warm up

1. Think of a time you started a new job or moved to a new town. What did you need to do first?

See the answer

Military life has a first step too. It is DEERS.

Why this matters

You married a service member. Welcome. Your benefits, like health care and base access, start with one record. It is called DEERS.

TRICARE says you must be in DEERS to get your TRICARE benefit. This free course walks you through your first 90 days, one step at a time. BMU 302 Military Spouse Field Manual goes deeper later.

Start with what you already do

You already keep important papers, like a birth certificate or a Social Security card, in a safe place.

Common belief: Getting married adds me to the military system on its own.

What is actually true: Not so. The service member, called your sponsor, must register you in DEERS. Sponsors are added on their own. Family members are not.

Key words

sponsor

The service member whose benefits you get as a family member.

DEERS

The Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System. It is the list of people who can get military benefits.

RAPIDS site

An ID card office. This is where you get your ID card.

Step 1: Your sponsor registers you

Your sponsor must register you in DEERS. The form is DD Form 1172-2. TRICARE's page calls it DD Form 1172.

• Sponsor comes with you: your sponsor signs the form at the ID card office.
• Sponsor cannot come: your sponsor can sign the form electronically through ID Card Office Online, or sign it in front of a notary. TRICARE says the signature must be within 90 days. A valid power of attorney also works.

milConnect asks sponsors to register a marriage within 30 days to avoid pay deductions later.

Step 2: Bring the right papers

• Your marriage certificate
• Your birth certificate
• Your Social Security card
• Your photo ID

TRICARE says these must be originals or certified copies. For the ID card itself, bring two IDs that are not expired. One must be a state or federal photo ID, like a driver's license or passport.

Step 3: Book a visit

Use ID Card Office Online to find a RAPIDS site and book a time. Call the office first if you have questions. Expect to have your picture taken.

Text version of this figure

From DEERS to your ID card. Three steps, in order.

1. Step 1, Sponsor registers you: Your sponsor adds you to DEERS with a DD Form 1172-2.
2. Step 2, Bring the papers: Originals or certified copies, plus two IDs.
3. Step 3, Visit a RAPIDS site: Book online. Get your picture taken.
4. You have your ID card: Keep DEERS up to date after any change.

Source: TRICARE; ID Card Office Online (Oct 29, 2026).

Keep DEERS correct

TRICARE says errors in DEERS cause problems with claims, bills, and prescriptions. Update it after any change, like a move or a new phone number. You can check it in ID Card Office Online or call 800 538 9552.

Worked example: Rosa and Dan

Rosa married Dan, a Marine, last week.

1. Dan books a time at the base ID card office online.
2. Rosa gathers the original marriage certificate, her birth certificate, her Social Security card, and her driver's license.
3. She adds her passport as her second ID.
4. They go together. Dan signs the form. Rosa gets her picture taken and leaves with her ID card.

Rosa and Dan are a made up example.

Practice: Plan the ID card visit

• Kim married a soldier who leaves for a 9 month deployment next week.
• Joe married a sailor. They live 3 hours from a base, and Joe has only a photocopy of his birth certificate.

For each person, write what to do so the visit works the first time.

Check your practice: feedback

• Kim: before he leaves, her sponsor signs DD Form 1172-2, electronically or in front of a notary, or gives her a power of attorney. The signature must be recent, within 90 days of her visit.
• Joe: order a certified copy of his birth certificate from the state where he was born. Then book a RAPIDS site online and call ahead, since the drive is long.

Common mistakes

• Bringing photocopies. Bring originals or certified copies.
• Waiting months to register. Register soon after the wedding. milConnect asks for 30 days.
• Going alone without a signed form. Bring a signed DD Form 1172-2 or a power of attorney.

Check your understanding

Take it as many times as you like. Pick an answer, then open the feedback.

1. Who must add a new spouse to DEERS?

1. The spouse, online
2. The sponsor
3. The family center

See the answer and feedback

B is correct. Yes. The sponsor registers family members.

A: The spouse cannot add herself. Review Step 1.

C: The family center helps, but it does not register you. Review Step 1.

2. Nia brings a photocopy of her birth certificate. What will happen?

1. It may not be accepted.
2. It is fine if it is clear.
3. It is fine with her ID.

See the answer and feedback

A is correct. Right. Bring originals or certified copies.

B: A clear copy is still a copy. Review Step 2.

C: Her ID does not replace the birth certificate. Review Step 2.

3. Where do you get your ID card?

1. At the family center
2. At a TRICARE office
3. At a RAPIDS site

See the answer and feedback

C is correct. Yes. Book a time online.

A: The family center does not print ID cards. Review Step 3.

B: TRICARE runs health plans, not ID cards. Review Step 3.

Next up

Next you will enroll in TRICARE. Go to Lesson 2: Enroll in TRICARE.

Stuck or have a question? Ask BMU Learner Support.

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