Becoming a USAA Member as an Appointee

asap.airman

asap.airman

USAFA ‘26
Joined
Mar 14, 2021
Messages
71
Hello, I have been having some trouble with opening an account with USAA, The Appointee Kit states that "Banking institutions like USAA, ARMED FORCES BANK, or AIR ACADEMY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, will all allow appointees to create bank accounts and offer services catered to active duty military members."

So I went onto their website to fill out the generic questionnaire all prospective members fill out, it asked for the branch of service, commissioning source, and commissioning date. I highly doubt that the USAFA has our Commission date 4 years in advance so I just input June of 2026. After submitting the required info it asked for me to call their office since they needed "additional details to determine if I qualify for membership". After calling their office, their representative walked me through the same process, but on his end. We got stuck whenever the date of commission question popped up, and he asked for a specific date. I tried to explain that I was unable to provide that. I asked if they had any sort of Service Academy Liaison or Expert I could speak with, and he said no. Then he presented me with the option of "asking my recruiter for my date of commission", if only it was that simple!

Does anyone have any guidance on how I could open a simple checking account with USAA? No one in my family has served in the military, and I am aware that there are other banking institutions I can use, but I was really banking (pun intended) on being a USAA member.
 
asap.airman said:
Hello, I have been having some trouble with opening an account with USAA, The Appointee Kit states that "Banking institutions like USAA, ARMED FORCES BANK, or AIR ACADEMY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, will all allow appointees to create bank accounts and offer services catered to active duty military members."

So I went onto their website to fill out the generic questionnaire all prospective members fill out, it asked for the branch of service, commissioning source, and commissioning date. I highly doubt that the USAFA has our Commission date 4 years in advance so I just input June of 2026. After submitting the required info it asked for me to call their office since they needed "additional details to determine if I qualify for membership". After calling their office, their representative walked me through the same process, but on his end. We got stuck whenever the date of commission question popped up, and he asked for a specific date. I tried to explain that I was unable to provide that. I asked if they had any sort of Service Academy Liaison or Expert I could speak with, and he said no. Then he presented me with the option of "asking my recruiter for my date of commission", if only it was that simple!

Does anyone have any guidance on how I could open a simple checking account with USAA? No one in my family has served in the military, and I am aware that there are other banking institutions I can use, but I was really banking (pun intended) on being a USAA member.
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When I filled the information out I just picked a random date towards the end of May because that is the class of 2022's graduation date. Try May 2026.
 
Honestly what I would do is call back and speak with someone else at USAA 800-531-8722. We've always had USAA since DH and his father were both military, but we've always found their customer service to be excellent. I'm sure it will work out!
 
asap.airman said:
Hello, I have been having some trouble with opening an account with USAA, The Appointee Kit states that "Banking institutions like USAA, ARMED FORCES BANK, or AIR ACADEMY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, will all allow appointees to create bank accounts and offer services catered to active duty military members."

So I went onto their website to fill out the generic questionnaire all prospective members fill out, it asked for the branch of service, commissioning source, and commissioning date. I highly doubt that the USAFA has our Commission date 4 years in advance so I just input June of 2026. After submitting the required info it asked for me to call their office since they needed "additional details to determine if I qualify for membership". After calling their office, their representative walked me through the same process, but on his end. We got stuck whenever the date of commission question popped up, and he asked for a specific date. I tried to explain that I was unable to provide that. I asked if they had any sort of Service Academy Liaison or Expert I could speak with, and he said no. Then he presented me with the option of "asking my recruiter for my date of commission", if only it was that simple!

Does anyone have any guidance on how I could open a simple checking account with USAA? No one in my family has served in the military, and I am aware that there are other banking institutions I can use, but I was really banking (pun intended) on being a USAA member.
Click to expand...
This is a date you can always change later, once a member.

Look at this year’s day of week and date. Go to a 2026 calendar, find the same day of week nearest this year’s date. Use that as your best SWAG.

And yes, USAFA probably does have the dates years out, but not published - it’s important for scheduling POTUS or whoever is the speaker, service secretary, service chief, Thunderbirds, all the “usual players” who need key dates years in advance.
 
asap.airman said:
Hello, I have been having some trouble with opening an account with USAA, The Appointee Kit states that "Banking institutions like USAA, ARMED FORCES BANK, or AIR ACADEMY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, will all allow appointees to create bank accounts and offer services catered to active duty military members."

So I went onto their website to fill out the generic questionnaire all prospective members fill out, it asked for the branch of service, commissioning source, and commissioning date. I highly doubt that the USAFA has our Commission date 4 years in advance so I just input June of 2026. After submitting the required info it asked for me to call their office since they needed "additional details to determine if I qualify for membership". After calling their office, their representative walked me through the same process, but on his end. We got stuck whenever the date of commission question popped up, and he asked for a specific date. I tried to explain that I was unable to provide that. I asked if they had any sort of Service Academy Liaison or Expert I could speak with, and he said no. Then he presented me with the option of "asking my recruiter for my date of commission", if only it was that simple!

Does anyone have any guidance on how I could open a simple checking account with USAA? No one in my family has served in the military, and I am aware that there are other banking institutions I can use, but I was really banking (pun intended) on being a USAA member.
Click to expand...
Update: After calling back, and being on the phone for 30 minutes, they finally realized that It wasn't working because I am only 17 years old... so unfortunately I am old enough to go to basic training but not old enough to open an account with USAA :( I'll have to wait until the summer until I can open an account. Armed Forces Bank it is...
 
asap.airman said:
Update: After calling back, and being on the phone for 30 minutes, they finally realized that It wasn't working because I am only 17 years old... so unfortunately I am old enough to go to basic training but not old enough to open an account with USAA :( I'll have to wait until the summer until I can open an account. Armed Forces Bank it is...
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Im in the same boat :(
 
I know this is a week old thread but I want to reignite it.

I tried to open a USAA savings account today, and it was the most painful thing I have ever done (well, tried to do). I just quit after an hour of trying because it wouldn't take my credit card. Does anyone know something I might not about why its giving me so much trouble for no logical reason? Is it normal for USAA's system to be this irritating?
 
Pluto said:
I know this is a week old thread but I want to reignite it.

I tried to open a USAA savings account today, and it was the most painful thing I have ever done (well, tried to do). I just quit after an hour of trying because it wouldn't take my credit card. Does anyone know something I might not about why its giving me so much trouble for no logical reason? Is it normal for USAA's system to be this irritating?
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The past few years have seen the quality of USAA's customer service go down, but I digress. Ever since their company went public...

I would call back and tell them that you will enter "active duty" for the AF on the date of your induction. Once you can access your account online afterward, you can update your rank as a "cadet" and duty station as "USAFA."

Give them your credit card number over the phone. Their online system isn't the most user-friendly.
 
Are you 18?
Pluto said:
I know this is a week old thread but I want to reignite it.

I tried to open a USAA savings account today, and it was the most painful thing I have ever done (well, tried to do). I just quit after an hour of trying because it wouldn't take my credit card. Does anyone know something I might not about why its giving me so much trouble for no logical reason? Is it normal for USAA's system to be this irritating?
Click to expand...
Are you 18? You may not be able to open account until you are officially on active duty, which won’t start until Induction Day.

Call them, as suggested above. The online system is designed to verify new account applicants against DMDS, a defense manpower database, as USAA is a chartered association whose membership is restricted to active duty, Guard, Reserve, veterans and their spouses and children, who gain membership through the military member. It is not a publicly-traded company, but a privately owned mutual insurance association with restricted membership. It has indeed gotten much larger, with the addition of all veterans and enlisted personnel as eligible members, which the association deemed the right things to do about 15 years ago or so, and it has gone to web-based/mobile member engagement tools similar to other financial institutions, with the pro’s and cons that go with that.
 
Capt MJ said:
Are you 18?

Are you 18? You may not be able to open account until you are officially on active duty, which won’t start until Induction Day.

Call them, as suggested above. The online system is designed to verify new account applicants against DMDS, a defense manpower database, as USAA is a chartered association whose membership is restricted to active duty, Guard, Reserve, veterans and their spouses and children, who gain membership through the military member. It is not a publicly-traded company, but a privately owned mutual insurance association with restricted membership. It has indeed gotten much larger, with the addition of all veterans and enlisted personnel as eligible members, which the association deemed the right things to do about 15 years ago or so, and it has gone to web-based/mobile member engagement tools similar to other financial institutions, with the pro’s and cons that go with that.
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I am in fact 18. I typed in the commissioning source and approximate commissioning date, and that allowed me to start the application for the savings account. I got all the way to the end and it would tell me to use a different card, despite already verifying the card I entered. Extra funny part: no matter what method I try of putting in the minimum deposit, it always has a problem with it.

If I cannot open a USAA, what is the next method you all would recommend? At this point, I dont care what bank/credit union I use, I just want to be able to fill in the questions about it in the Appointee Kit.
 
Pluto - you can call USAA and it should get straightened out. When I called on a weekend to open an account for my son (who is 17, but I am a USAA member of 34 years), there was mention that a certain department needed for appointees was only open during business hours during the week, so call during the day. USAA is on Central time (the call center is in Texas, I think). I recommend getting an account as their insurance rates are frequently the best ones you will find.
 
Coffee_mom2026 said:
Pluto - you can call USAA and it should get straightened out. When I called on a weekend to open an account for my son (who is 17, but I am a USAA member of 34 years), there was mention that a certain department needed for appointees was only open during business hours during the week, so call during the day. USAA is on Central time (the call center is in Texas, I think). I recommend getting an account as their insurance rates are frequently the best ones you will find.
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Quick question: we have no affiliation w/ USAA....is my son still able to get an account? He already plugged in his Key Bank info in the appointee kit...would he be able to open a USAA account once he gets to USAFA or will there not be time, etc?
Also, we are trying to find a credit card for him and are hitting brick walls....no go w/ Bank of America or Capital One...got denied....
 
2026 said:
Quick question: we have no affiliation w/ USAA....is my son still able to get an account? He already plugged in his Key Bank info in the appointee kit...would he be able to open a USAA account once he gets to USAFA or will there not be time, etc?
Also, we are trying to find a credit card for him and are hitting brick walls....no go w/ Bank of America or Capital One...got denied....
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Try discover. My DS applied several months back and projected his income with an academy stipend. He got it immediately with 0 credit history. It has a small limit, but it is a start. It is almost time to ask for an increase.
 
LTBob87 said:
Try discover. My DS applied several months back and projected his income with an academy stipend. He got it immediately with 0 credit history. It has a small limit, but it is a start. It is almost time to ask for an increase.
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OK great idea -thank so much!
 
2026 said:
Quick question: we have no affiliation w/ USAA....is my son still able to get an account? He already plugged in his Key Bank info in the appointee kit...would he be able to open a USAA account once he gets to USAFA or will there not be time, etc?
Also, we are trying to find a credit card for him and are hitting brick walls....no go w/ Bank of America or Capital One...got denied....
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USAA for a checking/savings account - Yes. My understanding is that he can and that USAA anticipates this. I don't know how they feel about 17 yoa cadets whose parents do not already have an account . . .

CC - I haven't opened one for my son yet - it needs to happen.
 
Update: Didnt call, but I somehow was able to open a checking account no problem! The savings account is still a no go, but alas I have somewhere to put money. Now I just have to set up direct deposit.
 
USAA is going downhill fast, it will be GEICO in a few more years with their desires to grow so much. Not a terrible product, but nothing like back in the day.
 
Does anyone know what the minimum balance I need in a USAA checking account is for it to not go inactive? You would think googling this question would yield results, but alas, no.

- thanks, p
 
Pluto said:
Does anyone know what the minimum balance I need in a USAA checking account is for it to not go inactive? You would think googling this question would yield results, but alas, no.

- thanks, p
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I know it is $50 to open. Inactive usually is more related to activity than balance.
 
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