Military ID Refused In Tri-Cities Store

An Iraq war veteran was turned away by a Tri-Cities cashier when he tried to buy alcohol and tobacco because he presented his military ID.

“I’m proud to serve 15 years in the military.  I’m proud to show that id,“ said Charles Reisler, Jr. of Bristol, Virginia.

Charles Reisler served on active duty, reserves, and with the National Guard for a decade and a half including more than a year in Iraq.  When someone asks for ID, his military ID is the first he pulls out.  It’s always been accepted until he visited this store to buy alcohol and tobacco.

“The clerk pretty much doing her job asked to see my id,“ said Reisler.

Reisler then asked her why she wouldn’t accept his military ID.

“Supervisor comes out and he tells me he only takes state issue IDs,“ said Reisler.

He then left and made his purchase at another store down the street, but he looked into what I’d are acceptable in Virginia.

“You can take any type of driver’s license, military id, green card, passport, so why not my military id?“ asked Reisler.

The clerk admitted she just made a mistake.  Virginia’s Alcoholic Beverage Commission won’t comment on this particular case, but says it’s the clerks responsibility to ensure the sale is legal.

“We can refuse the sale of anyone if there’s a question about the validity of their id or their ownership of their id,“ said Matt Sword, acting assistant manager for VABC’s Bristol store.

The clerk knows now that the military id is accepted in Virginia and will be in her store from now on.

Acceptable IDs in Virignia and Tennessee include any valid state driver’s license, military ID, U.S. or foreign passport.  Virginia also accepts IDs from any federal or state government except for student IDs.