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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/06/AR2006060601332.html?referrer=email&referrer=email&referrer=email
Data Theft Affected Most in Military
National Security Concerns Raised

By Ann Scott Tyson and Christopher Lee
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, June 7, 2006; Page A01

Excerpts:

- 2.2 million U.S. military personnel -- including nearly 80 percent of the active-duty force -- were among the data stolen from the home of a Department of Veterans Affairs analyst

- security experts said, the information could be used to find out where military personnel live. "This essentially can create a Zip code for where each of the service members and [their] families live, and if it fell into the wrong hands could potentially put them at jeopardy of being targeted," said David Heyman, director of the homeland security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

- information could reach foreign governments and their intelligence services or other hostile forces, allowing them to target service members and their families, the experts said.

- Montgomery County police are offering a $50,000 reward for information that allows authorities to recover the laptop. The computer is a Hewlett-Packard model zv5360us and the external hard drive is an HP External Personal Media Drive.

- The Washington Post is not publishing the name of the career data analyst whose laptop was stolen in response to a request from law enforcement authorities who are investigating its disappearance. (oh the irony)

- VA receives records for every new recruit because active-duty personnel, National Guard members and reservists are eligible for certain VA benefits, such as GI Bill educational assistance and the home-loan program.