This from the AP, via Military.com.

Soldiers Have Army Records Stolen Associated Press | September 26, 2005 DENVER - While fighting in Iraq, Army Sgt. Steven Behr suddenly found himself vulnerable at home. Four computer hard drives containing soldiers' Social Security numbers and other personal records were stolen from Fort Carson - a crime that could expose Behr to identity theft. Behr was one of 15,000 active duty soldiers notified this month of the theft, along with family members and civilians who work at the Army post in Colorado. "They have my information for the last 11 years in the military," Behr told The Associated Press last week in Iraq. "With the way fraud is going in the U.S. these days, anybody could get my credit report, or something like that. I'm just trying to figure out how someone could steal four computers from a secure area. They're supposed to be locked up pretty tight." Fort Carson spokeswoman Dee McNutt said there is no way to determine how many records were compromised. Everyone who could be a potential victim was being notified, McNutt said. McNutt said there have been no reports that the records have been used to steal identities. The heist is still under investigation by military authorities. The FBI said it has not been called in to assist; the military said it would not ask for help unless there was evidence a civilian was involved. The hard drives were stolen in mid-August from a building on the post in Colorado Springs where soldiers get identification cards and update their personnel records, McNutt said. Records taken included soldiers' Social Security numbers, dates of birth, rank, unit, citizenship and jobs. Behr said he and other members of the 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment fighting in Iraq were told to report any credit card or other unusual financial activity to military police. Michelle Joyner, spokeswoman for the National Military Family Association, a nonprofit organization that helps military families, said soldiers are still at risk even though the military has made great strides helping them protect themselves from identity theft. Joyner said the military no longer requires soldiers to put their personal information and Social Security numbers on checks and other documents. The military also offers financial training to recruits that includes information on ways to protect themselves from identity theft. Soldiers who go on active duty can put an "active duty alert" on their credit reports, requiring creditors to verify an applicant's identity before granting credit. Joyner said soldiers are just as vulnerable as civilians, but the theft of the computer hard drives was particularly troubling because the military keeps a lot more information about its personnel than does private industry. Claudia Bourne-Farrell, spokeswoman for the Federal Trade Commission, which provides records of identity theft to 1,400 law enforcement agencies across the country, said soldiers do not get special treatment when it comes to such crimes. Mary Lou Wild, district manager for the Consumer Credit Counseling Service in Colorado Springs, said soldiers are particularly vulnerable to identity theft because they are usually young, transient, inexperienced in financial matters and do not frequently check their credit histories. Even so, Maxine McKay, manager of the Armed Forces Bank, a private bank on post, said many soldiers are proficient with computers and do monitor their accounts online from all over the world, even though they may not check their credit histories very often. "They can watch every withdrawal their girlfriend makes," she said. ********************************************************************

I don't even know where to begin about this item. Computers can be useful tools (kinda like Freepers, if you get my drift and I'm sure youy do.) There have been numerous publicly reported incidents of hacked computers, stolen ID information, etc, etc. Now the grunts, those who are actually out there in that hellish country with its heat, diseases, cancer threats from the DU munitions, inadequate rations and water supplies mishandled by Halliburton's KBR, which is more concerned with screwing another couple of billion dollars out of the US Treasury. Add to that poorly prepared and maintained vehicles, inadequate personal armor, insufficient munitions supplies (we're now buying Nato 5.56mm ammo from israel, because our own CONUS suppiers can't do the job.) Now they have to worry about their savings and pay being skeeved away by some Slicky Joe at home. (I'll bet Slicky is a Bush supporter, too.) I keep thinking of Casey Stengel, who once threw his cap on the floor of the NY Mets' dugout and screamed, "Can't anybody here play this game?"