After serving your country, how safe will your personal data be?

It appears that your personal data as a Veteran is not very safe, any employee of the Department for Veterans Affairs, or at least a data analyst, can take your information home and do whatever he/she pleases with it. Should the person's home be robbed at least the VA will state that taking home the personal information was against their policies and that the employee will remain on administrated leave awaiting the outcome of their investigation...
One should think that a veteran's information is so safe that an employee can't just pick it up and take it home, 26,5 million times.
The VA attempts to put you at ease, stating that your financial information and medical information were not included in the electronic data that was stolen. So, only everything else containing to the veteran and some spouses is in, who knows who's hands, if that is not reason to worry...

For more information on the issue you can use these links:

www.firstgov.gov                 www.va.gov/opa

or visit the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Homepage with the link below.

By Birgit and Roger Pratcher
© May 2006