“Upon notification, my first priority was to take all actions necessary to protect veterans from harm and to assist in law enforcement efforts.
“I am outraged at the loss of this veterans’ data and the fact an employee would put it at risk by taking it home in violation of our policies. I am also concerned about the timing of the Department’s response once the burglary became known. I will not tolerate inaction and poor judgment when it comes to protecting our veterans.
“We are engaged in a very extensive review of individuals up and down the chain of command.
“As the person ultimately accountable to America’s veterans, I have the duty to know exactly what occurred and to hold people responsible.
“I have asked the Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General to expedite his investigation into exactly what occurred from the time of the incident to the present.
“I anxiously await the Inspector General’s results and will take strong actions upon their review.”
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Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov
Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.
Veterans can also use our chatbot to get information about VA benefits and services. The chatbot won’t connect you with a person, but it can show you where to go on VA.gov to find answers to some common questions.
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