YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — The Army and Air Force Exchange Service is now scanning military ID cards to ensure patrons are old enough to purchase alcohol, tobacco and other age-restricted items sold in military stores.

AAFES recently rolled out its new point-of-sale system in exchanges in the United States and this week will begin introducing them in the Pacific to streamline the identification process. Other restricted items include certain over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, knives and music and movies with mature ratings.

“The system has been implemented to be quick and convenient for our customers, while also ensuring that age-restricted items are not in the possession of minors,” Lt. Col. Jerome Duffy, AAFES executive officer for the Pacific region, said in a Monday news release.

The system requires AAFES employees to scan the bar codes on the government ID cards issued to troops, Defense Department employees and their dependents for age-restricted purchases instead of visually checking the birth dates printed on the cards.

The system does not print or store customers’ personal information.

From staff reports

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