June 07, 2006


Playing the numbers

Hm, well it seems (and I know you all will have a tough time with this), that the adminstration has lied again... or is just continuing the same lie forward.

We were told that the VA record thefts were records of vets discharged after 1975, and those with whom the VA has had contact/records of things like VA home loans, and educational assistance; then it was a few Navy and National Guard troops who might still be on active duty, but not to worry. Now it seems that the data theft covers damn near everyone who has ever served and is still serving since 1975.

Social Security numbers and other personal information for as many as 2.2 million U.S. military personnel -- including nearly 80 percent of the active-duty force -- were among the data stolen from the home of a Department of Veterans Affairs analyst last month, federal officials said yesterday, raising concerns about national security as well as identity theft.

The department announced that personal data for as many as 1.1 million active-duty military personnel, 430,000 National Guard members and 645,000 reserve members may have been included on an electronic file stolen May 3 from a department employee's house in Aspen Hill. The data include names, birth dates and Social Security numbers, VA spokesman Matt Burns said.
...
For example, security experts said, the information could be used to find out where military personnel live. "This essentially can create a Zip code for where each of the service members and [their] families live, and if it fell into the wrong hands could potentially put them at jeopardy of being targeted," said David Heyman, director of the homeland security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

Another worry is that the information could reach foreign governments and their intelligence services or other hostile forces, allowing them to target service members and their families, the experts said.

Well, duh.

Apparently however, word out of the 1600 Crew is that they still "support our troops and honor our veterans". I'm having a harder and harder time understanding how. Don't know about you all.

This ought to be an issue in the reelection of every single congress criminal out there. If they don't support a massive and immediate program to (1) change every single vets and active duty person's social security information and (2) ensure that every affected person is protected by free credit monitoring and some type of indemnity program against ID theft then they are not worth a single penny they are getting paid.

And if they say it's "too costly", fuck'em. They're getting ready to hand better than One Trillion dollars to people like Paris Hilton. I think that we come before hereditary zillionaires, or maybe I'm just some sort of commie-pinko asshole who wants a handout, or something.

posted by Jo Fish on 06.07.06 at 04:46 PM





Comments:

Yep, only a pinko commie would think they are worth the same as a zillionaire. Obviously the rich paris hiltons of the world are due tax breaks; oh the burden they carry on their sore shoulders.
Personally I say it's time for a class war here in the good old usa. My 80 year old mother in law with alzheimers has had her feeble income cut yet again; can find no place for constant care; has to rend her personal fortune down to less than 2000 dollars or no help. What a fucked up country.
I'm sure that the wealthy had better be looking over their shoulder. It's coming.

 posted by: kerryinalaska on 06.08.06 at 09:55 AM [permalink]

Mr. Fish, a lot of these assholes do consider vet's benefits as some kind of hand out.
Same thing happened to my mother with alzheimer's and my dad served his country for 26 years and two shooting wars.

 posted by: merlallen on 06.09.06 at 12:38 AM [permalink]

This isn't a partisan issue. It's a case of bureaucratic malfeasance.

Jo, you and I are both veterans discharged since 1975. Have you seen any instruction on what we're to do (other than the usual "keep an eye on your credit reoprt" crap)? Any web sites to visit or anything like that?

Bean, you're 100% right, this is not a partisan issue. I have been reading everything I can find for just such information. A couple of CongressCritters from each chamber have suggested some sort of remediation, but nothing concrete yet. I will publish any such information as soon as I get it.

Jo

 posted by: bean on 06.09.06 at 10:41 AM [permalink]

Hi Jo!
I got out just before 1975, but I know they play fast and loose with the records. I'm the campaign manager for a guy running for congress here in Eastern Washington State. We're up against candidates who're both wealthy as well as not veterans. We're running on the Democratic ticket in the 5th Congressional District against a wealthy wheat farmer(Dem) and against Cathy McMorris the bought and paid for Republican in the General election, assuming we get through the primary. We have the hope that vets here in the 5th Dist will heed our man's call to take back government from the wealthy and paid for people and give it back to the people from whom all power flows. If we get in, I promise we'll do something to protect those vets whose records were stolen, and no screwing around with government blarney. Our man is Cajun James, a Coast Guard veteran with 4 battle stars from Vietnam. He is disabled but can get around enough to campaign in a district as big as many states back east that includes Spokane as its center. We aim to beat them both and be in the next Congress. Watch for us in November to oust the incumbent. Never give up is our motto.
Thanks for the space to rant a little, Paris Hilton can pay up, just like she won the lottery.
God Bless
Bruce

 posted by: Bruce McAuley on 06.09.06 at 11:47 PM [permalink]

i got a letter in the mail from the VA through the IRS (because "we do not have current addresses for all affected individuals") late last week.

the VA states "The data contained identifying information including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth for up to 26.5 million veterans and some spouses, as well as some disability ratings. As a result of this incident, information identifiable with you was potentially exposed to others. It is important to note that the affected data did not include any of VA's electronic health records or any financial information."

the letter further states that i should "Beware of any phone calls, e-mails, and other communications from individuals claiming to be from VA or other official sources, asking for your personal information or verification of it....If you receive such communications, they should be reported to VA at 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636)." [presumably, with the exception of this letter]

the letter came with a two-page FAQ which includes the contact information for Experion, Equifax and TransUnion. [presumably because the incident "did not include any...financial information" as i cited above, but probably provided through their "abundance of caution"]

a scan of the letter is at http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j50/synthaetica/vaLetter.jpg

 posted by: sgt other on 06.12.06 at 09:48 PM [permalink]


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All the original material © 2002-2003 Jo Fish
steal what you want, all I ask is an attribution of some sort
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