I think you misunderstand, by 2020 every state driver license must be qualified by federal requirements. So for example, the old California DL will no longer get you on commerical airline and supposedly it wont get you on a military base either. Someone with a CA DL would need their passport to get on a plane from LA to NY. About a couple of years ago, Calfornia starting issuing the Enhanced Drivers License which allows you to fly and get on base. In order to do this, you must go to the DMV office, show them a birth certificate or passport, 2 different types of utilties bill that shows your address plus 1 or 2 credit cards bills. All of us sent copies of our drivers license to my son and they were placed on a list so when we showed up all we had to do was show them our driver license. Never got a pass, we had to show them our license every time we came on base but no one asked for registration or insurance. My son says the cops on base really look at for speeders and with the speed limit at 25, everyone on base drives likey they were in slow motion.You can get on base with a DL. UPT bases are accustomed to winging ceremony weekends where many guests are not military.@Humley: We're planning to attend a graduation soon as well. Were you able to use your Drivers License as ID to get on the base. The wife & I just received our Enhanced Licenses which allow us to use as ID for domestic flights after October, 2020.
Unless something has changed, all that occurs is that your child will sign anyone in via the Visitor's Center on base. They put the names of everyone that does not have a military id on the list. You stop and sign in. They can give the pass for several days. If you are driving to the base they will ask for registration and insurance.
My hubby is retired. We have gone through this process multiple times. His retirement ceremony, DS's winging (FIL was not military) and our DS's wedding with many non-military guests.
I do not know which UPT base he is winging out of, but if it is Del Rio, most people stay on base. He/She will need to contact the base hotel to book rooms for you. It is a nice hotel, but it is not huge. Fencers, Stealth and my DS winged out of there. We had no problems getting a room.
Also every squadron and every base does it a little different. Yet, certain things will be the same.
If you want a flight simulator ride have them set it up for an optimal time...1st come 1st serve.
They will walk you out to the flight line for a photo op. Usually they will have all 3 airframes out there, the 1,6 and 38.
Most students will buy a breakable set of wings. It is like commissioning day with a special person doing the honors.
Hope that helps
At the graduation ceremony, they were given a breakable set of wings with my son buying wings for his Blues and his Mess dress. Simulators need to be reserved and they did show the T-1, T-6 and T-38 as. They made it easy as they had a bus load up the parents and take them to where the planes were parked.