The Department of Defense Common Access Card (CAC) holders have until March 31, 2019 to activate their Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Authentication certificate to avoid losing access to military networks, according to a release from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters.
The plan removes the guesswork for system users by having one universal certificate to use across the DoD network for authentication, according to the release. The good news is the process can be done by the individual CAC holder online at: https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/self_service/.
A single-certificate system will eliminate the “multiple guess certificate game” once and for all and is designed to be shared among multiple federal agencies and will add new functionality into emergency operations.
“Moving to the PIV streamlines authentication and improves operational effectiveness,” said Jeffrey Schmidt, Chief, Information Technology Huntsville Center. “One aspect of the move to using the PIV is taking some of the guesswork out of which certificate to use. As the certificate reaches wider use more and more web sites will only accept it though this will certainly take months to accomplish.”
The Army estimates 70 percent of CAC holders will need to complete the PIV update process. If you’ve received your CAC after March 1, 2018, you should not have to compete this process.
“The plan will expand, deepen and operationalize interoperability across the DOD and other U.S. Federal government agencies to seamlessly integrate system access and information sharing,” according to a recent Army “Stand-To” post. “Immediate, on-demand access to information ensures the force is ready to fight tonight and maintains an operational advantage against near-peer adversaries.”
To update your CAC now, users should use the Internet Explorer browser when updating their security certificates at: https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/self_service/
You may also get more information by watching a video at: or seek assistance by contacting the Army Enterprise Service Desk at 866-562-2348 for problem resolution.
Huntsville Center is a unique U.S. Army Corps of Engineers organization. The Center is not defined by geographic boundaries; its missions provide specialized technical expertise, global engineering solutions, and cutting edge innovations through centrally managed programs in support of national interests.
Huntsville Center’s more than 1,000 employees manage nearly 3,000 ongoing projects at any given time. These projects fall into one of five portfolios: Medical, Facilities and Base Operations, Energy, Operational Technology, and Environmental. The portfolios comprise 42 different program areas, as well as six mandatory and six technical centers of expertise, and 17 centers of standardization. Projects are generally broad in scope, require technical expertise, centralized management or are functions not normally accomplished by a Headquarters, USACE organizational element.