NEATS General Information
1. What: Provides access to DoD computers and
network. Network Enterprise Alternate Token
System (NEATS) is a smart-card for accessing the
unclassified AFNet or DoD network.
2. Who: Qualifying populations - International
Military Students (IMS), and Foreign Affiliate
Military & Civilian Partners, including OCONUS
Local Hires; Volunteers / Interns, Key Spouses, and
Other individuals requiring network access.
3. Where: Applies to the Total Force – RegAF,
ResAF, ANG, and Space Force populations
qualifying for enrollment with DEERS program.
4. When: NEATS program available now – offers
network access to qualifying populations via the
Alternate Token Identity Management System
(ATIMS) smart-card issuance.
5. Why: DoD/Uniformed Services identity
credentialing program improvements - NEATS is
replacing the Volunteer Logical Access Credential
(VoLAC), tentatively, March 2024. Individuals
issued the VoLAC are authorized to continue use
of the smart-card until expiration. Expired, lost,
stolen, or destroyed VoLACs are replaced with the
NEATS smart-card.