Looks like thieves stole personal info on 26.5 million military vets! Thanks to an idiot working for Veterans Affairs! With the rush for the government to digitize everything, they keep getting data stolen! This is the second piece of news like this.

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This is a real concern and will continue to be a problem. There are rules in place but like anything else rule without enforcement are just words without meaning.

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Just my humble opinion!

I don't know if the proper way would be much better either. There's no excuse for this conduct.

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BOOM, BOOM. Out goes the Lights

The latest from CBS is that a lap top, external drive and files were stolen 3 1/2 weeks ago. The VA alledgely told police that it was a few 100, about 2 weeks later contacted the FBI and told them . Nicholson should be removed as Sec of VA immediately in my mind with no questions asked . It seems like the age old story of screwing veterans over and it just got kicked up another couple of knotches! If more SM and veterans would complain to their elected officals and demand quality of care for all services, this no sense would be drastically minimized. I wrote several letters to then Sec. of VA Tago West about how one VAMC passively treated veterans disrespectfully while seeking treatment. The first few responses were from that VAMC's administrator, wh basically minimized any problem. The next two letters were cc to both Senators. Now those problems don't exist.

I have talked to dozens of veterans who feel that the VA is a waste of $$$. Even when mentioned that there are actually veterans who benefit from the VA they'll insist on closing or cutting VA services. Despite what appears to be a cover-up according to CBS, the fact is VA has a problem. Rules are good but getting rid of those dead weight decision makers from the VA is a better thing. Writing one's Representive and Senator actully works. If the vast majority of active military would send out letters to the elected officials in DC, more attention would be given. Enough of my soapbox.

I find it ironic that government accountibility and the lack of solutions to fix the problem stills exist and evenmoreso doesn't mind doing so. Just by reading the article we can see that the major veterans organizations are proactive about the potential id theft. The Feds have sat up some site, but since it will take a few months to notice any increased activity and so on . The term I'm looking for is "CF", (no explainations needed). The best line from this article afte seeing the CBS stroy is

Still has explained why the employee had the information at home.

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BOOM, BOOM. Out goes the Lights

The Va is an over burdened beuracratic nightmare. NOt enough workers to many bosses. Some retirees and vets VA is all they have. I still work so I have insurance from my company. When I first moved here part of the questions I asked a Dr's office when I called them to see if they were taking new patients was do you take Tri Care. out of 15 that I called none did. I asked why they said they do not want to wait for 6months to get payment. The Navy base here only see's active duty and it is a long wait for a VA Appointment. The answer will be to do away with VA & TriCare as they are too expensive to run and retirees are living to long and too many VETS. No solutionsjust more problems for those who don't need any more.

As to a resolution as to make right what happened they need to offer to either monitor and fix any credit problem that comes out of this or pay for a service for each person that was affected $140-170 a year per person. As for the person that took it home him and the people that took it send them to Iraq and make them Vets and while they are there their pay goes to help repay the damage they did. Just a little POed

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Just my humble opinion!

Sending this employee to Iraq might be a good solution to others who drop the ball. I think that we may have to agree to disagree on the VA. Personally I know of at least 20 vets over the age of 75 that benefit from the VA. Placing them in a nursing home and suppying meds is cheaper than the old vet's home and a whole another issue. Every 90 days the get there refill (unless the staff forgets to order it). Unless some acute disease comes about, their meds are available.

Tri-Care, never could figure out why that was adopted. With vets living longer should of been foreseeable event. It's not like the Census Bureau works on it ever 10 years. They've known for at least 20 years. Procrastination, the hobgoblin of motivation.

But getting rid of the VA doesn't make the problem go away. When I first enlisted, I was told that once you completed 20 years, pension and full medial coverage. I can see by the problem you've having that we both couldn't share a cup of coffee if it was the actual $$. That should have never happen or got to this level. 15 Dr's? Remarkable. I agree that they are overworked and somehow I think that someone will purpose the idea of outsourcing some of the work. That will come after paying someone $50k minimum to conduct some survey, probably more like $250k. No matter how I look out it, it's won't be fixed anytime soon.

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BOOM, BOOM. Out goes the Lights

Tri Care was invented to try to take the pressure of retirees off military facilities. More and more I see the government removing the benefits they promised. Medical now cost and dental is non existent. When Social Security kicks in if it is still around you have to apply for Medicare or your Tri Care is further eroded. I think the VA is necessary but like many things Congress does they create programs and ideas, do not see the growth and never fund them. I see VA benefits probably disappearing in the future with those on Tri-Care being forced to pay for Blue Cross as they will raise the cost of TriCare so high that the co pay and enrolment cost will make other med insurance viable. It is a sad thing. Oh yes and if you work after you retire from the military and work for another do not think you can use your Tri Care and company insurance. Tri Care wants the other insurance to pay first then you pay and they put that amount toward the cap. More often than not the amount the Doctor charges is several hundred if not a thousand dollars higher that the Tri-Care suggested cost. That usually goes back and forth between the Dr and Tri-Care and 6-8 months latter you end up paying the difference. If you have to have a non Generic drug. No way It seems like the older you get the harder it is to get medical care. Ok I'm off the soap box . I know
.

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Just my humble opinion!

Looks like their were 50,000 plus ACTIVE DUTY and family members also on the same stolen disk.

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CH-47 SI

They must find it difficult...

Those who have taken authority as the truth, rather than truth as the authority. --Gerald Massey

Is that true? Chuck, do you have a source on that?

Mike

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Is any of this related to the Aetna (Health, Dental insurance) incident? About two months ago, there was a notice stating a story of an employee got her laptop stolen from her car. That laptop contained personal information on every CFSC employee enrolled in it.