R 240015Z MAR 06
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
TO AL MARADMIN(UC)
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 143/06
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA//
SUBJ/LOST PRIVACY ACT DATA//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO NOTIFY
ENLISTED MARINES, ACTIVE AND RESERVE, ON ACTIVE DUTY BETWEEN JANUARY
2001 AND DECEMBER 2005 OF THE LOSS OF PRIVACY ACT INFORMATION.
2. HQMC MANPOWER INFORMATION SYSTEMS DIVISION (MI) WAS NOTIFIED
ON 14 MARCH 2006 BY A NAVAL POST GRADUATE SCHOOL STUDENT THAT A
THUMB DRIVE CONTAINING PARTIAL RECORDS OF 207,750 MARINES HAD BEEN
LOST. THE DRIVE WAS BEING USED FOR A RESEARCH PROJECT AND
CONTAINED PRIVACY ACT DATA TO INCLUDE NAME, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER,
MARITAL STATUS, AND ENLISTMENT CONTRACT INFORMATION. BECAUSE THE
DATA WAS SAVED IN AN ENCODED SOFTWARE FORMAT THAT IS IN LIMITED
DISTRIBUTION AND THE LOCATION OF THE LOSS WAS ABOARD A GOVERNMENT
INSTALLATION, THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THE DATA LOSS IS CONSIDERED
TO BE RELATIVELY LOW. TO DATE, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THE INFORMATION
HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. THE NAVAL POST GRADUATE SCHOOL IS CURRENTLY
CONDUCTING A DETAILED INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE THE FACTS
SURROUNDING THE CASE.
3. AFFECTED MARINES ARE ENCOURAGED TO VISIT THE FEDERAL TRADE
COMMISSIONS WEB SITE AT HTTP:/WWW.CONSUMER.GOV/IDTHEFT FOR GUIDANCE
ON PROTECTIVE ACTION AGAINST IDENTITY THEFT. ADDITIONALLY,
AFFECTED MARINES MAY ALSO PLACE A FRAUD ALERT ON THEIR CREDIT
FILES FOR UP TO 24 MONTHS. THIS WILL GENERATE A FREE CREDIT
REPORT FROM ALL THREE CREDIT REPORTING BUREAUS. MARINES SHOULD
REVIEW THEIR CREDIT REPORTS CAREFULLY FOR ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES
(FRAUDULENT ACCOUNTS, UN-REQUESTED LOANS, UN-REQUESTED NEW ACCOUNTS,
ACTIVITY ON OLD OR INACTIVE ACCOUNTS, ETC).
4. M&RA (MI) WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE ALL USERS AND SYSTEMS OWNERS TO
ENSURE PROPER STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO PROTECT THE CRITICAL
INFORMATION RELATED TO OUR MARINES. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
MR. CLAY DUBBERLY, M&RA (MI) BY E-MAIL AT THURMAN.DUBBERLY@USMC.MIL
OR BY PHONE AT (703) 784-0643, DSN 278-0643.//