Decorated Veteran Who Served On Staff At West Point, Blasts Vet Affairs Over 26.5 Million Records Going Missing
A decorated veteran who served on staff at West Point, expressed shock and anger over a letter received on Flag Day from the Secretary of Veteran Affairs, announcing that 26.5 million veterans records had gone missing. The records in the form of electronic data, containing names of veterans and their spouses, social security numbers, and dates of birth, were illegally taken by a VA employee, and subsequently went missing when the employee's home was burglarized.
Appleton, WI (PRWEB) June 19, 2006 -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) advised millions of veterans through a letter delivered on Flag Day, that the VA had recently learned of one of their employees illegally taking electronic data from the VA offices, which ultimately was lost when the employee's home was burglarized. 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.
From the offices of Cow Country Enterprises (www.cowcountryenterprises.com) in Appleton, WI., Scott Geller, a former West Point staffer and decorated veteran, expressed shock and anger over the news of the breach.
Just hours before he was to attend a parade for Flag Day, Geller recalls curiously opening a letter stamped, "ENCLOSED IS AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY OF VETERAN AFFAIRS..DO NOT THROW AWAY!" His curiosity quickly turned to shock and anger. "It is so insulting to the faithful service of men and women of all branches of service, to receive news of this nature on Flag Day, particularly from the organization charged with the watch care of those who have served. It galls me that the Secretary of Vet Affairs, would characterize a theft of this magnitude as nothing more than a minor inconvenience or concern. If this is so, perhaps his resignation and departure in the wake of this incident, could be characterized in the same light," Geller stated.
Appropriate law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the VA Inspector General's office, have launched full-scale investigations into this matter. "While I take some comfort in learning that the VA is now working with the President's Identity Theft Task Force, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Trade Commission to ensure that a breach of this magnitude never happens again, veterans deserve an explanation as to how it happen this time," stated Geller.
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