I got a letter from the VA today...

I've used and am using the VA, and I can believe everything they say! If they say they took those disc home, and if they say someone broke into their house and stold my records, and yours, then I believe it! For your information, Yes I have a mental problem, but what has that got to do with whether I believe the VA or not? I also believe in the tooth farie, santa claus and that George Junior would never lie, after all, when he cut down the pecan tree, didn't he say Chaney done it?
what I find interesting is that if "we" are so smart, and they are so stupid, why are we the ones tied to the barrel, while they have their way with us? Ex Libre de Opresso!

Welcome to ATS. If you don't mind, was this thread a factor in your joining?

Looking forward to seeing more from you. That may just be the way it went down, no contesting that much. Thing is it should never have happened, let alone just because of that one guy. To me it looks like they are trying to pin it on him, or make him complacent. He might have been involved, or just ignorant.

Facts are still there though, why didn't VA security stop him or notice what he had?
Is there not security at the VA, and if not why. This would have never happened if some form even slight oversight was taken.

I'm still of the opinion that there is more this than made known.

Got my letter the other day.

MAN, what next.

I have not used the VA, but I'm sure they have records on me, of course now someone else does too.

GREAT!

Semper

Someone mentioned class-action lawyers wanting to make money. It seems you may be right

VA barred from publicizing offer to vets

[edit on 25-6-2006 by Seeking Nirvana]

Originally posted by Seeking Nirvana
Someone mentioned class-action lawyers wanting to make money. It seems you may be right

VA barred from publicizing offer to vets

Nirvana.....

THANKS for that article..... as you know..... this one TOPIC is the NUMBER ONE on the Radio First Termer Forum. This is GREAT STUFF!

Dave

[edit on 6/25/2006 by Dave Rabbit]

The offers better keep rolling in, because nothing is going to compensate for the loss of security, let alone the breach of. INFOSEC should have been the priority and not even an issue.

Originally posted by ADVISOR
The offers better keep rolling in, because nothing is going to compensate for the loss of security, let alone the breach of. INFOSEC should have been the priority and not even an issue.

I totally agree. Damage caused by a breach in INFOSEC is incalculable. I'm just hoping no one gets totally screwed because of this leak.

My father, boyfriend, and two other friends all got the same letter..

Hi Draconica...

Thanks for dropping by and participating at "Che Rabbit" !

This story is NOT going to have a happy ending........ for SOME of us MOST DEFINITELY....... for ALL of us.... MOST ASSUREDLY.

Dave

CNN is reporting that the laptop/hard drive has been recovered. ?!

Haven't seen anything elsewhere on this. Will post more as it becomes available.

LINK TO INDY STAR

Newly discovered documents show that the VA analyst blamed for losing the laptop had received permission to work from home with data that included millions of Social Security numbers and other personal information on veterans and military personnel.

The department said last month it was in the process of firing the data analyst, who is now challenging the dismissal.

VA officials have said the firing was justified because the analyst violated department procedure by taking the data home. They also said he was "grossly negligent" in handling sensitive information.

However, Filner noted that the employee had informed supervisors of the theft immediately after the crime, while supervisors waited nearly three weeks to inform the public on May 22. Nicholson himself was informed on May 16.

"The gross negligence in this case are the people above him," said Filner, the acting top Democrat on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

This may get a little interesting.

JDub

I just heard that they found the stolen laptop computer, it was turned in...and now supposedly the guy who took it home with him had clearance to indeed work from home....hmmmmm...trying to find further info.

Source
The documents obtained by The Associated Press show that the data analyst, whose name was being withheld, had approval as early as Sept. 5, 2002, to use special software at home that was designed to manipulate large amounts of data.

A separate agreement, dated Feb. 5, 2002, from the office of the assistant secretary for policy and planning, allowed the worker to access Social Security numbers for millions of veterans.

A third document, also issued in 2002, gave the analyst permission to take a laptop computer and accessories for work outside of the VA building.

However, apparently ...

"There is reason to be optimistic," Nicholson told a House committee at the opening of a hearing on one of the worst breaches of information security. "There is not a certainty, but we have to remain hopeful they have not been compromised."

This whole ordeal just stinks.

From a tinfoil standpoint I have to wonder ...

RED ALERT all Vets in the past 30+ years. Your personal data has been stolen and is "potentially" at risk.

Sirens scream and public "reaction" is overwhelming, as it should be.

Ultimately resulting in a good %, if not vast majority, "checking in", here thereby clarifying their current status/location/data for a full year, Free. ?! A rather convenient "update", IMO.


While this is still only tinfoil speculation,

There has been recent legislation expanding the age limits for military service, to include talk of re-instatement of a draft. Odd, that. ? Can you hear me now?


left over right, around and through, pull them tight and you have tied your shoe.

Carry on, Carry on ... there's nothing to see here. It's been returned to/recovered by the FBI.

* we should remain optimistic that the information contained within the laptop/external hard drive have not been compromised, nor copied

Now, I see that it was actually, in fact, a laptop with the "data" contained on an external hard drive". No surprise, mind you, it just adds to the speculation. no?


[/soapbox]

[edit] a few of these.





[edit on 6/29/2006 by 12m8keall2c]

LINK TO WISH-TV.COM

The congressional investigation led for the last month by Indiana Congressman Steve Buyer is now turning it's focus on a VA security breach in Indianapolis.

"I am distressed to have heard about the lost tape in Indianapolis, because your counsel was just this last week before this committee, yet never informed this committee that you have a missing tape that contains over 16,538 legal cases. So I am pretty stressed this morning to have learned this last night." said Representative Steve Buyer (R), Indiana.

A backup tape to the computer server at the regional office in Indianapolis has been missing almost two months.

Okay, first the VA in DC, now a lost computer tape in Indianapolis with 16,000 cases on it.

Stupid... just so stupid!

JDub

What? A tape? It's allmost too much. Is this a conspiracy or what? Is this just another way to intorduce new IDs, like has been allready mentioned?

Troy

Well...... this is probably going to end up as some MADE FOR TV movie one day.... there is just too much CRAP at one time to have it be an astronomical coincidence. Whoever made the comment, the name escapes me now, about a methodical setting to prove to the world that we need to be implanted with the ID Microchip...... I laughed at first..... at this rate.... NONE of us will be laughing.

Just my opinion.

Dave

I told you so...LOL

Way too much to be coincidence.
You may laugh again but there's been an ongoing program to create fear of identity loss in the general public for a while now.
It's not hard to see the patern...

Got be honest, I've only just start looking at the new ID's...
When's the law for the new ID go into effect 2008?
Real ID in the US
Biometric ID in the UK

Maybe not the chip, yet, but a way to smooth the transition to these new ID's??
A lot of people are against this...Or were?

Anok....

You DID see that thread on Freedom To Fascism didn't you?

www.abovetopsecret.com...

There is something in those clips that refers to some kind of congressional investigation where they are asking some BRAIN about the possibilities of just that.

Where is Mulder & Scully when you need them. Talk about an X-FILE!

Dave

Thanx for pointing that out Dave I'd missed that.

Scarry stuff indeed...We are living in interesting times eh?

I never thought I would ever see a day.... when things that were shown on sci-fi movies would come to pass. Remember the movie "The Island"? Now that is taking things to the extreme...... but I got news for you...... somewhere in the world right now..... THAT SITUATION EXISTS. If one has enough MONEY and enough POWER..... you can do whatever you want without fear of repercussion.

Dave