First, the feds lost computer components containing vital data on 26 million veterans and other military personnel, raising fears of mass identify theft. Then, it offered government-funded credit monitoring to the vicitimized vets. Now, all signs are that the Bush Administration has changed its mind. According to today’s Washington Post, the White House told House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) on June 18 that it was withdrawing a request for $160.5 million to pay for a year of free credit monitoring. It cited the June 28 recovery of the errant computer gear and subsequent “high degree of confidence” that no one had accessed the data. Vets are not amused. “We’re outraged that the administration would renege on their offer,” said Robert E. Wallace, VFW executive director.”
Air Force Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost—a trailblazer and one of the first 10 women to reach a four-star rank across the U.S. military—retired and passed control of U.S. Transportation Command to Air Force Gen. Randall Reed on Oct. 4, finishing an eventful tenure at TRANSCOM.