AZVet61 Seaman Recruit
Joined: 05 Jun 2004 Posts: 24 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:25 am Post subject: Hooray! New VA ID cards to be issued |
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The following is the text of a letter I have received from the VA regarding discontinuing the use of SSN's on VA ID cards:
SEP 16 2004
In Reply Refer To:
Mr. Brent F. Moody
Dear Mr. Moody:
This is in response to your letter to Secretary Principi and Senators McCain and Kyl regarding the Social Security Number (SSN) appearing on Veterans Universal Access Identification Card (VIC), which could make veterans vulnerable to identity theft.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is happy to advise you that the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) agrees with your concern and has been taking
steps to remove all visual identifying numbers from the face of the VIC.
The VIC replacement initiative will provide veterans with a new card that displays only the veteran's name and their color photograph. The new VIC will not show an SSN or other identifying numbers on the card. Identifying information such as SSN will be encoded on a magnetic strip and bar code and be accessible with special equipment
, that is installed in each VA Medical Center.
VHA is currently testing the computer software that will be used to request the new VICs. VHA expects to release the software in late summer 2004. Once the software is released, eligible veterans will be able to request the new cards at the VA medical centers. The new card will be produced by an external vendor and mailed directly to the veteran's address of record.
Sincerely yours,
W. Kenneth Ruyle
Acting Chief Business Officer |
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