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Page 28-29 of the Rules for Visa Merchants (http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/rules_for_visa_merchants.pdf), 
informs merchants on the process of how to finalize a Visa transaction. It states, "The final step in the card 
acceptance process is to ensure that the customer signs the sales receipt and to compare that signature with the 
signature on the back of the card. When signing the receipt, the customer should be within your full view, and you 
should check the two signatures closely for any obvious inconsistencies in spelling or handwriting."

"Although Visa rules do not preclude merchants from asking for cardholder ID, merchants cannot make an ID a 
condition of acceptance. Therefore, merchants cannot refuse to complete a purchase transaction because a 
cardholder refuses to provide ID. Visa believes merchants should not ask for ID as part of their regular card 
acceptance procedures."

I have made several complaints to AAFES in regards to their policy of 100% checks against the ID and the credit 
card (all major credit cards have a similar policy to the Visa policy). I am always called back and treated 
respectfully - no complaints there.

First, a few disclaimers:
1. I know you must check military ID to ensure the customer has AAFES privileges.
2. I know you must check ID to ensure the customer is of age to purchase restricted items.
3. I know that if the credit card is not signed, the employee should instruct the customer to sign the card and 
then compare that signature to an ID signature.

That's not what we're talking about - I'm talking about a completely different process, where the employee takes 
the ID card in one hand, the credit card in the other, and blatantly compares the names on each and compares the 
picture on the ID to the customer standing before them.

One particular employee at the Vandenberg AFB Gas Station is extremely blatant and border-line rude when it comes 
to this.

I've pretty much given up on trying to correct this - the last time I complained about it I was told a memorandum 
would be sent out to all AAFES stores, explaining the correct procedure. Except, by the time the procedure landed 
in the stores it was interpreted as "check ID 100% of the time." I know this was a direct result of my complaint 
because a friend that worked at the gas station told me, "they said someone complained about us not checking IDs 
against credit cards and we have to do it everytime now." This doesn't really surprise me, after 6 years in the 
military I can understand how one statement can be completely turned around and made to meant the exact opposite 
of its original intent.

I understand AAFES does this to "protect" the customer - there are a lot of times when a dependent will empty the 
member's bank account without the authorization. I really do understand that.

Unfortunately, the Visa agreement is very clear - YOU CAN NOT MAKE THE COMPARISON OF ID TO CREDIT CARD A CONDITION 
OF SALE. You can't do it, period. There's no room for interpretation, there's no ifs ands or buts, about it - you 
can't.

The policy is very clear: you may not impose any further conditions of sale on a credit card than you do on a cash 
sale, with exception to the signature on the receipt and comparison of that signature to the signature on the back 
of the card.

I don't really expect this to be fixed - I just like to gripe about it because no one at AAFES actually cares 
about the policy. Anything short of revocation of AAFES' right to accept Visa cards will fail to produce results.