Veterans Affairs officials recently announced the theft of personal information on up to 26.5 million veterans. However, VA Secretary R. James Nicholson stressed there's no indication the information is being used for purposes of fraud.

"We at the VA have recently learned that an employee here, a data analyst, took home a considerable amount of electronic data from the VA, which he was not authorized to do," Nicholson said. "His home was burglarized, and this data was stolen. There is no indication that any use is being made of this data or even that (the thieves) know they have it."

The compromised data includes names, Social Security numbers and birthdates of veterans separating from the military since 1975, he said. The information also may have included data on veterans who separated before 1975 but who submitted a claim for VA benefits.

No medical or financial information was compromised, though the files might have contained numeric disability ratings in some cases, Nicholson added. A statement issued by the department indicated that spousal information also might have been compromised in some cases.

The VA is working through a number of channels, including the news media, to make veterans aware of the situation. Individual notification letters also will be mailed to veterans.

The department is providing more information through the www.firstgov.gov Web site and call centers that can be reached at (800) 333-4636. The call centers will be able to handle more than 250,000 calls a day.

The department also is encouraging veterans to watch their financial accounts carefully for any signs of fraud or identity theft. If suspicious activity is detected, veterans should contact the fraud department of one of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion.

Nichols said the Federal Trade Commission has alerted credit bureaus of a potential increase in requests for fraud alerts and for requests for credit reports.

Any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently should be closed, and the veteran should file a report with local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place. Those who suspect identity theft also are encouraged to contact the Federal Trade Commission via its identity-theft hotline at (877) 438-4338, or through its Web site.

Samantha L. Quigley, American Forces Press Service, Alexandria, Va.

Editor's Note: According to the VA, anyone who has/had a VA home loan or who has registered for VA benefits should also be on the alert for fraudulent activity.