The most frequently asked question I get from AAFES & NEX customers is "Where do I find the CAC card readers?" My biggest frustration with that question is not the where part but rather the unceasing nature of constrained availability. What I really don't get is why these items are not stocked at the MCSS. In the 21st century the CAC card reader is as much a necessity as combat boots for today's Soldier, Sailor, Airmen or Marine to accomplish the DoD mission. Well enough moaning on my part. The follow up question usually is "Can I use a CAC card reader on my Mac?" Answer is unfortunately a qualified "Yes." My recommendation is to check out:
http://militarycac.com/apple.htm
The feedback I have gotten regarding this site for the most part is positive, so I pass on the recommendation for the first time on my blog. I wanted to make sure I was as current as possible on this post and in doing so stumbled on some additional info.
When researching anything related to Apple, Mac OSX & the iOS eco-system one of the most reliable resources are the great folks at Mac-Forums.
These links look like useful resources as well:
What might be of great interest to units who have switched to Mac OSX or have a majority of personnel who have switched to Mac OSX and are looking at making a unit purchase, then this software might be of interest.
Also of interest, Apple sells a really nice third party CAC card reader online. What make the SCM SCR3500 extremely interesting is that it folds up into the size of a standard USB stick and can be carried on your keychain or lanyard.
Here is the link to the Apple online store:
Should none of these solutions lead to complete satisfaction, then there are still two final alternatives. Installing a legal copy of Windows XP, Vista, 7 or soon to debut Window 8 operating system via bootcamp on your Mac or running one of the Windows operating systems in a virtual PC via Parallels or VM Ware Fusion.
Virtualization or the Bootcamp options are extremely popular and would allow one to use the CAC card in the same environment as the DoD does. I will discuss these solutions in greater detail in a future post.