RONA Process

Requests for names and addresses must:

• Identify the category of veterans for whom information is sought (recently discharged veterans, those veterans currently receiving VA benefits or both). This information is necessary since the data comes from different systems.
  
  
  1. Names and addresses of recently discharged veterans come from the Veterans Assistance Discharge System (VADS). VADS data comes from a veteran's DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. VADS contains data by month of discharge for the previous five years. Addresses in VADS are as reported on the DD Form 214; they are not updated if a veteran moves. Only addresses for veterans discharged in the past few months are likely to be current. When possible, a request for VADS data should specify the months and years for which names and addresses are desired.

  2. Names and addresses of veterans or their beneficiaries currently receiving benefits come from the Compensation and Pension (C&P) system and/or the Education (EDU) system. The release of names and addresses of beneficiaries is limited to beneficiaries of incapacitated or deceased veterans who are currently receiving benefits.

  3. Data from the VADS, C&P and EDU systems is extracted by zip code. A request should include a list of individual zip codes, zip code ranges, or a combination of the two in numerical order for the geographical area for which addresses are desired. Requests that only specify names or counties, cities, townships or Congressional Districts cannot be used to process a request. A State may be specified when the requester wishes all addresses in that State.

• Include proof, satisfactory to VA, that the organization seeking the list is a nonprofit organization. An Internal Revenue Service tax exemption statement or proof that the organization is a governmental body is acceptable.

• Include a statement explaining:
  
  
  1. The purpose for which the list of names and addresses is requested, and how the purpose is "directly connected with the conduct of programs and the utilization of benefits" under title 38 U.S.C. "Direct connection" refers to any activity that results in a veteran becoming certified as qualifying for, applying for, and/or receiving one or more of the benefits provided under title 38, or
     
     That the requester (or qualified representative) is a criminal or civil law enforcement governmental agency or instrumentality charged under applicable law with the protection of the public health or safety, and that the names and addresses will be used for a purpose authorized by law.

  2. The program and the resources the organization proposes to devote to the purpose.

• Include a statement that the organization and all members who will have access to the list are aware of the penalty provision of 38 U.S.C, Section 5701(f), and will not use the list for any purpose other than that specified. Section 5701(f) states:
  
  "Any organization or member thereof or other person who, knowing that the use of any name or address released by the Secretary pursuant to the preceding sentence is limited to the purpose specified in such sentence, willfully uses such name or address for a purpose other than those so specified, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and be fined not more than $5,000 in the case of a first offense and not more than $20,000 in the case of any subsequent offense."
  
  (VA inserts administrative controls in each list to ensure that material distributed using the names and addresses are consistent with the purposes stated in the request. In some cases VA may require advance approval of the material prior to approval of a request.)

• The name, office, title and telephone number (and FAX number if available) of the person to be contacted in the event that technical questions arise.

• The output media (3480 cartridge, CD (C&P and EDU only), printed list or gummed labels) desired. All congressional C&P and EDU RONA's request are provided on an encrypted Compact Disk (CD-ROM). Approved Congressional requests are given on free listing per year, i.e., processed once within a 12-month frame (beginning with the date of the approval letter). NOTE: They my select up to two type of output media for the free processing.

A requester may not receive a list of names and addresses that duplicates a list already released to another element, segment, or chapter of the same organization. Once received, a requester may not duplicate a list of names and addresses nor may a list be released to another party without prior notification to and receipt of approval from the Records Management Service (005G2).

In accordance with 38 U.S.C. and applicable VA regulations, requesters are charged for the costs involved in setting up computer programs, for computer run time, and for other support activities associated with the release of names and addresses.

• Federal, State and local government agencies may be charged for data if the purpose for which the list will be used is not deemed a benefit to the veteran or VA.

• All organizations paying for data may submit requests as often as they wish. VA makes every effort to avoid giving a paying requester overlapping data.

• A cost estimate is developed and provided to the requester after a request is approved. Payment must be received prior to production of an initial or recurring list. Payments may be by certified check, postal money order, or bank money order made payable to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Payment must be forwarded to the address shown in paragraph 3. Purchase orders or requests for billing cannot be accepted. Payments for recurring lists should be for increments of either six months or one year. To ensure continuation of a recurring list, the payment must be received at least 30 days prior to the scheduled run date. If payment for a recurring list is not received, the computer program developed to produce that particular list is deleted from the system. An additional development fee would be charged to reinstall the program in the system.

Requests for lists of educationally disadvantaged veterans (those who have not completed high school) should be sent to the nearest VA regional office.

From time-to-time VA receives requests from persons seeking to contact individual veterans (for example, to locate a wartime "buddy," to distribute military unit reunion notices, or to gather facts regarding a particular wartime event). VA offers remailing services via a process known as Blind Mailing. Persons seeking remailing services should contact the nearest VA regional office. This service is not part of the Release of Names and Addresses Program.

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