Army: Biometrics

Biometrics: The Army as Executive Agent for the Department of Defense

Biometrics are measurable physical and behavioral characteristics that enable the establishment and verification of an individual’s identity. Once established, a biometric identity can be used to regulate individual access to DOD services and resources or to deny a criminal or adversary the ability to hide his true identity by stripping away anonymity with swift, accurate, and definitive identity verification.

Biometrics are key to intelligence and security efforts in the war on terrorism. The ability to establish an individual’s identity with certainty and link the individual to past aliases or activities gives our Soldiers a decisive edge in fighting the war on terrorism and aiding other U.S. government organizations. In addition, biometrics add a layer of security and a method of identity verification when accessing DOD and federal government spaces by further automating the identification process and increasing speed of entry.