Current Servicemembers Possibly Affected by VA Data Loss

American Forces Press Service ^

[SandRat]

WASHINGTON, June 6, 2006 – Active-duty servicemembers and members of the National Guard and Reserves may be affected by the recent personal data loss by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA announced today.

The VA announced over the weekend that the records stolen from the home of a VA representative in May might include personal information of people currently in the military, according to a VA news release. Initial findings from VA indicated the personal information on about 50,000 active duty, National Guard and Reserve personnel may have been involved.

As the two agencies compared electronic files, VA and DoD learned that personal information on as many as 1.1 million active-duty servicemembers, 430,000 National Guardsmen, and 645,000 members of the Reserves may have been included in the data theft, according to today's release.

In May, the VA learned that an employee took home electronic data without authorization, in violation of established VA policies. The employee's home was burglarized and the data were stolen. Included were names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth for up to 26.5 million veterans.

The VA receives records for every new accession and military enlistee because active-duty personnel and National Guardsmen and Reservists are eligible to receive certain VA benefits, according to the release.

"VA remains committed to providing updates on this incident as new information is learned," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs R. James Nicholson. "The department will continue to make every effort to inform and help protect those potentially affected, and is working with the Department of Defense to notify all affected personnel."

Nicholson said VA is currently in discussions with several entities regarding credit-monitoring services to determine how veterans and active-duty personnel potentially affected can best be served. The VA has received no reports that the stolen data has been used for fraudulent purposes.

Several resources are available to servicemembers and veterans who may have been affected by this data loss:

• The VA has set up a special Web site and a toll-free telephone number: http://www.firstgov.gov and 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636). Each features up-to-date news and information on the data compromise. The Web site provides steps on how to check credit reports, how to guard against identity theft and who to call if an individual believes any fraudulent activity is occurring with his or her personal information.
• Information relating to the defeat of identify theft also is available at http://www.militaryonesource.com.

Related Site:

Latest Information on Veterans Affairs Data Security

[SandRat]

VA Data Theft news update

[tongue-tied]

And this is what I posted on another thread:

Is this possibly a setup? Or am I being paranoid?

Why does this guy just happen to take home the entire database (it sounds like it anyway) and how does a thief just happen to know what to snag?

I've got something real hot! You could sell this for millions, just give me $25,000.

And those deployed would be the worst off since they could not track everything as closely and spot it. Until they got home.

[Jet Jaguar]

The Armed Forces need to de-link the SSN as an identifier.

Go back to a serial number.

[armymarinemom]

Great. My best guess is that it is going to be harder for our troops in Europe to track this.

[SandRat]

You mean undo the wrong that Pres Carter did.

[Jet Jaguar]

Could you explain? I have only served under Clinton and Bush.

[SE Mom]

I never understood why anyone thought this was a bright idea- SS on your dog tags? WTH?

[Eagle9]

To: Eagle9

My husband was treated at the VA from 2002 until his death last June, do I need to be concerned, and if so, what should I do?

My son is currently serving in Afghanistan, he has been in the Army or the reserve since 1988. Should he be concerned, should I be alerting him or his wife, or will they be doing that on base in Afg?

9 posted on 05/27/2006 2:45:11 AM CDT by gleeaikin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

____________________________________

I think this updated article will help answer your questions.

[Jet Jaguar]

Me too. Before I joined up, I would never give my SSN to anyone except on tax forms and employer documents.

I was astounded to see my private and personal number was used for everything when entering the service.

It's bound to come back as a I.D. theft.

I hate it.

[TheCrusader]

It's a real tight ship being run there in Washington, eh? This latest breach now means that millions of our veterans and most of our active military members have had their personal info released into the wrong hands.

[SE Mom]

My son was the same way- when I saw his dog tags I was really baffled at the logic.

Thank you for serving, JJ.

[Jet Jaguar]

Nodding.

[Billthedrill]

BTT. Looks like they got just about everybody.

[SandRat]

When I came in pre-Carter we had Military Service unique service numbers and it was Jimmie that for accounting simplicity ordered us all switched over to using our SSANs.

[SandRat]

Heard on the news that a vetern is suing for damages for all the vets and military affected. We'll see how far that gets.

[Jet Jaguar]

Thanks for the note. I wondered about that.

[Eagle9]

When I came in pre-Carter we had Military Service unique service numbers and it was Jimmie that for accounting simplicity ordered us all switched over to using our SSANs.

I was in the Army 1971-72. We had our name and SSN stamped on every piece of clothing, boots, shoes and stencil spray painted in white on our big olive drab duffel bags that we carried through airports, bus terminals, etc. Also on our dog tags.

[SandRat]

Got my first set of Dog Tags in 69 and we had real service #s.

[NY Attitude]

How come this guy is not in jail for misappropriation of Government Property. I also believe that he did this act intentionally. Both taking it home and having a burglary staged.

[untrained skeptic]

I think you're being paranoid based on the limited information we have.

If this was purposefully stolen and the burglary staged, how does the employee benefit?

Right now, he has lost his job for gross negligence and his boss lost his job for not making sure procedures were being followed.

He's likely going to have a very hard time finding another job due to this, but that's all pretty much a slap on the wrist compared to what he'd face if he was found to have participated in purposefully stealing this data.

This mistake is going to follow him for a very long time. He's already under a microscope. If evidence turns up that he stole this, he going to find that there's virtually no where he can hide where he will be beyond the reach of those he's wronged or those in our government that will close ranks with them.

Our government, our intelligence community, the FBI. They all contain a considerable number of veterans and those who will make very sure that criminals fear attacking our veterans.

This guy would have to be a complete moron to help steal this data, and what criminals want to bring this kind of attention on themselves.

If I'm wrong, this is a very, very bad thing, but I don't think it's even remotely likely.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

".. said Secretary of Veterans Affairs R. James Nicholson. "The department will continue to make every effort to inform and help protect those potentially affected,"

As Elvis said, "A little less talk, and a lot more action." What exactly is Nicholson doing in making every effort? I haven't been told anything...Anyone else that is a veteran???? Lying sack.

[Hildy]

My sister-in-law is the top dog at a big city VA and she said this is much ado about nothing.

[tongue-tied]

hmmm...with all of these service member's (including mine) personal data somehow compromised, I'm not so sure. Remember, there were names, addresses, SSNs, and phone numbers.

Seems like more than simple "nothing".

[Hildy]

This thing about social security numbers is absurd. How many times do you fill out forms that ask for your SS#??? ALOT. For that matter, how many teenagers do you give your credit card numbers to? At some point, you just have blind faith.

[Eagle9]

Source: CNET News.com
Veterans sue government over data breach
by Karen Said
June 6, 2006

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has been hit with a class-action lawsuit following the theft last month of a device containing personal information on about 26.5 million veterans. Five organizations and several individuals have asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to force the agency to individually inform everyone affected and to pay $1,000 each to anyone whose privacy has been harmed, Vietnam Veterans of America said Tuesday. The suit also seeks to prevent the department from using the data until safeguards have been put in place. Vietnam Veterans of America said that the National Gulf War Resource Center, Radiated Veterans of America, Citizen Soldier and Veterans for Peace are the other groups involved in the legal action.

A message posted on the Veteran Affairs Web site last month said that the breached data covered Social Security numbers and dates of birth for veterans and some of their spouses. On Tuesday, however, the department said information on about 2.2 million active-duty, National Guard and Reserve troops may have also been exposed.

 

[BIGLOOK]

Thanks, SandRat. Stashed.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[roaddog727]

"The Armed Forces need to de-link the SSN as an identifier.

Go back to a serial number."

Exactly right.

[marine86297]

"The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has been hit with a class-action lawsuit..."


Has anyone noticed one of the groups that is behind the class-action suit against the VA... none other than Veterans for Peace. I'm sure they are very concerned about Veterans. (Peacenik, leftist, scumbags).

Semper Fidelis

[Eagle9]

Source: Channel3000.com - WISCTV.com

Janesville Marine Victim Of ID Theft While Overseas

Parents Wished They Had Power Of Attorney

POSTED: 9:31 pm CDT May 31, 2006

UPDATED: 9:40 pm CDT May 31, 2006

JANESVILLE, Wis. -- National headlines regarding stolen personal information of U.S. veterans have prompted a federal task force to investigate, but even active troops overseas are finding themselves at risk.

VIDEO: Watch The Report

Mike Dissmore never thought he would be on the computer researching identity theft until he got a phone call last October from a credit card company, asking for his son, Jacob, an active-duty Marine.

"I asked them, 'Is this about possible fraud?' They said, 'Yes it is,'" said Dissmore. "I said, 'Well he is overseas and it couldn't possibly be him.'"

But Dissmore said the calls and letters kept coming -- all of them asking about current purchases. Someone had even bought a house under Jacob's name.

"A business has been started using his name. We know that they have $15,000 to $20,000 on credit that they've maxed out. Plus numerous credit cards -- maybe twenty credit cards out there."

Jacob's mother, Lori, said her son was very interested in real estate after he finished serving, but now she's worried about his future endeavors.

"[I can't believe] that they would do that to him while he was in Iraq, with all they're going through over there, with what their mother's going through with her son over there. And now someone's doing identity theft on him."

The Dissmores said until Jacob returned home, there was nothing they could do.

"A mistake we made was before he left, he should have given me or somebody power of attorney over his legal dealings," said Mike Dissmore. "And we didn't do that, so we were pretty powerless to do anything."

Jacob has returned from Iraq and is currently working in California, but his family said there is a chance he will go back overseas next spring.

"You would think that in a month this should be wrapped up," said Lori Dissmore. "But I have no idea. And this has to be taken care of before he leaves again because he doesn't want that on his shoulder."

_____________________________________________________________________

 

Since Mike Dissmore received the first phone call last October regarding his son Jacob's credit cards, it could not be connected the the VA Data Theft, which occurred May 3, 2006.

However, this article does give everyone a glimpse of what can happen when ID Theft occurs.