Am I really eligible for NFCU?

[stewart504]

I've heard lots of good things about NFCU but didn't think I was eligible.  This is such a long shot but....  Turns out my dad was a civilian employee at a military airfield during WWII.   Back in the day there was a Naval ammuntion depot where ammuntion was manufactured and stored for the Navy.  My dad worked at the connected airfield loading and unloading airplanes right after he graduated high school.  The entire installation was decommissioned after the war ended in 1945 which was before my time.  

Keep in mind my dad was very windy and known to exagerate on occasion but I have reason to believe his story was true based on his knowledge of the history of the military base.  The only thing is, my dad passed away back in 2008, so I can't ask him for more details and nobody else living has any knowlege of his employment at the airfield.  Right now, all I have are the stories he used to tell.

I decided to call NFCU and they did confirm that I would be eligible to join if my dad was a civilian eployee at a military airfield.   I just don't know how I feel about joining as this is really a long shot.  I don't think I could prove eligiblity since I have no clue how I would get any records from way back then.  What happens if I open an account there and get a credit card, but then it turns out I wasn't really eligible for membership? 

Any input I could get would be greatly appreciated.  

[GZG]

if NFCU says you are, I suppose you are. 

I don't think based on the letter of what's written here, you technically are: https://www.navyfederal.org/membership/eligibility.html 

but I also don't think the people handling new membership applications are going out of their way to say no or deny people membership, even if they don't technically qualify or even the people clearly lying. 

It's unfortunate you don't have any documentation or anything that you would be able to request from the archives or anything if there ever was a full on audit. 

but at least in recent times, membership audits have been rare and only limited in scope to truly bad actors, AFAIK 

[pizzadude]

I agree with the above post - if they told you that you're eligible then I'd proceed with joining and pursuing any banking / credit products which you are interested in.

I don't believe that NFCU conducts widespread audits of their prospective members' supporting documentation. 

[stewart504]

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@GZG wrote:

if NFCU says you are, I suppose you are. 

I don't think based on the letter of what's written here, you technically are: https://www.navyfederal.org/membership/eligibility.html 

but I also don't think the people handling new membership applications are going out of their way to say no or deny people membership, even if they don't technically qualify or even the people clearly lying. 

It's unfortunate you don't have any documentation or anything that you would be able to request from the archives or anything if there ever was a full on audit. 

but at least in recent times, membership audits have been rare and only limited in scope to truly bad actors, AFAIK 

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All I have to go by is what my dad said.  I was hoping someone here would know how I could get documentation from back in 1945.  The airbase was decommissioned after the war and is now nothing more than a privately owned airstrip for crop dusters, there isn't enough runway for today's jets to land.  

The story is, my dad was sent for a military physical exam but failed the exam due to health reasons so he became a civilian employee at the airbase.  I don't know who would have those records today since the base is long gone

[GZG]

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@stewart504 wrote:

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@GZG wrote:

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All I have to go by is what my dad said.  I was hoping someone here would know how I could get documentation from back in 1945.  The airbase was decommissioned after the war and is now nothing more than a privately owned airstrip for crop dusters, there isn't enough runway for today's jets to land.  

The story is, my dad was sent for a military physical exam but failed the exam due to health reasons so he became a civilian employee at the airbase.  I don't know who would have those records today since the base is long gone

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https://www.archives.gov/ 

is where I would start, no idea of what they would have on civillan employees though 

[pizzadude]

Unless NFCU is requiring you to submit documentation in order to become a member I wouldn't worry about it for now. 

[FicoMike0]

I spent a lot of time finding my father's dd214 (also circa wwll). When I called to join navy, they didn't ask for docs. I agree with the others, if they say your eligible, you are.

They are relationship centric, the more business you do with them, the better they like you. So, join right away. They have a free checking, set that up with direct deposit and you'll be building a relationship.

Their credit card preapproval isn't well rated, but it worked for me. 

[avibp]

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@stewart504 wrote:

they did confirm that I would be eligible to join

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And now you're here asking strangers unrelated to NFCU if you would be eligible to join? 

I'm a bit confused. 

If you DON'T join NFCU, I will call you a

...goober... Because I'm trying to be polite. 

Out of the 18 (23 ? ((Shrug)) Maybe). plus financial institutions that I do business with NFCU is by far my favorite.

Don't hate yourself in the morning. Join last week (or ASAP anyway) and enjoy the world's largest and best credit union as they make it very-very easy to do so.

[Gunnerboy]

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@stewart504 wrote:

I decided to call NFCU and they did confirm that I would be eligible to join if my dad was a civilian eployee at a military airfield.   I just don't know how I feel about joining as this is really a long shot.  I don't think I could prove eligiblity since I have no clue how I would get any records from way back then.  What happens if I open an account there and get a credit card, but then it turns out I wasn't really eligible for membership? 

Any input I could get would be greatly appreciated.  

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You were deemed eligible based on your word.  You should call again, retell your dad's work experience.  If the next CSR affirms you, open an account immediately.  Chances are extremely low that they will demand to see documentation.

[stewart504]

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@Gunnerboy wrote:

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@stewart504 wrote:

I decided to call NFCU and they did confirm that I would be eligible to join if my dad was a civilian eployee at a military airfield.   I just don't know how I feel about joining as this is really a long shot.  I don't think I could prove eligiblity since I have no clue how I would get any records from way back then.  What happens if I open an account there and get a credit card, but then it turns out I wasn't really eligible for membership? 

Any input I could get would be greatly appreciated.  

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You were deemed eligible based on your word.  You should call again, retell your dad's work experience.  If the next CSR affirms you, open an account immediately.  Chances are extremely low that they will demand to see documentation.

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The Army built the air field in 1942 for the purpose of training pilots.  I found my dad's draft card and he was drafted in 1944 right out of high school at age 18.  He failed the Army physical due to health reasons and they sent him back home.  The story I was told, he ended up working at the Army air field until WWII ended in 1945.  After the war, the Army took what they wanted from the air field and then declared the air field surplus. The air field was then turned over to the state.  I was told there were 100's of civilian employees at the air field during the war and I talked to someone who thought my dad was a supply clerk.  Nobody seems to know where I can get proof that my dad was a civilian employee.  

What I was told by Navy Federal is civilial employees qualify for membership.  When I tried to join online they want me to upload documents, but I don't have anything.   Do I just skip that step and hope for the best, or what do I do?