If you're actually on the DoD network that's only necessary in the rarest of cases. Retirees have to drive awhile sometimes, that's true, but they are not getting CAC anyways, they're getting old-style ID cards.

In my experience that is the common case, work for a defense contractor not on, but near a military base. I very well could be wrong though.

I don't work for the DoD, but you have the process right as far as I've seen. Don't forget that they seem to want a new set of fingerprints every time you go in.

Yeah, it does suck to be CTR, I'll admit. Especially if you need separate CAC credentials for things like base access.

October is hell month :)

Try when you don't have prints. Took a long time to get my card issued.