60VA21
Repatriated American Prisoners of War-VA
System location:
Records are maintained at the VA regional offices,
VA Central Office, all health care facilities and the Data Processing
Center at Austin, Texas. Address locations are listed in VA Appendix
1 at end of this document.
Categories of individuals covered by the system:
Individuals who are repatriated prisoners of war, including but not limited to those
of World War II; Korean Conflict; Vietnam Era; Pueblo Crisis; the
members of the group known as Civilian Employees, Pacific Naval Air
Bases, who actively participated in the defense of Wake Island and
were determined to be eligible for veterans' benefits under Pub. L.
95-202; and those determined by the VA to have been held as prisoners
of war during peacetime.
Categories of records in the system:
Personal identification
information related to the POW experience and identifying data, e.g.,
name, Social Security number, file number, service number, date of
birth, date of death (if applicable), period of service, branch of
service, entitlement code, aid and attendance or household status,
number of service-connected disabilities, number of days internal as
a POW, place of internment and hospital discharge data.
Authority for maintenance of the system:
Section 102, Pub. L. 96-22, June 13,1979; 38 U.S.C. 612; Pub. L. 97-37, August 14, 1981; 38
U.S.C. 101. 221. 312. 610 and 612; and 38 U.S.C. 210(c)(1).
Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including
categories of users and the purposes of such uses:
- The record of an individual who is covered by this system may
be disclosed to a member of Congress or staff person acting for
member when the member or staff person requests the record on behalf
of and at the request of that individual.
- Any information in this system relevant to a veteran's claim
such as the name, military service information and the number of days
interned as a POW may be disclosed at the request of the veteran to
accredited service organizations, VA-approved claims agents and
attorneys acting under a declaration of representation so that these
individuals can aid veterans in the preparation, presentation and
prosecution of claims under the laws administered by the VA. The name
of a veteran will not, however, be disclosed to these individuals
under this routine use if the veteran has not requested the
assistance of an accredited service organization, claims agent or an
attorney.
- Any information in this system may be disclosed to the Office
of the Secretary of Defense, International Security Affairs (POW/
MIA), upon their official request, in order to aid the Department in
verifying the status of individuals who were prisoners of war or
missing in action and/or in determining their most recent location.
- Any information in this system may be disclosed to NARA
(National Archives and Records Administration), upon their official
request, in order that NARA may produce extracts to perform
statistical analysis; reconstruct military personnel records
information; and respond to inquiries from the general public.
- Any information in this system (excluding the name of a
veteran unless the name is furnished by the requestor) may be
disclosed to epidemiological and other research facilities approved
by the Chief Medical Director to obtain data from those facilities
necessary to assist in medical studies on veterans for the Veterans
Administration or for any research purposes determined to be
necessary and proper by the Chief Medical Director.
- The name(s) of a veteran may be disclosed to another Federal
agency or to a contractor of that agency at the written request of
the head of that agency for the purpose of conducting government
research necessary to accomplish a statutory purpose of that agency.
Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing,
retaining, and disposing of records in the system:
Storage:
Records are maintained on magnetic tape and microfiche.
Retrievabilty:
The magnetic tape is indexed by the veteran's
service, VA file or Social Security number. The microfiche is indexed
by the veteran's name with secondary verification by the veteran's
service, VA file or Social Security number.
Safeguards:
- Access to the basic file in the Austin DPC (Data Processing
Center) is restricted to authorized VA employees and vendors. Access
to the computer room where the magnetic tape is located within the
DPC is further restricted to specifically authorized employees and is
protected by an alarm system, the Federal Protective Service, and
other VA security personnel.
- Access to microfiche listing and readers is restricted to
authorized VA employees on a ``need to know`` basis. The microfiche
is stored in protected drawers and protected from outside use by the
Federal Protective Service.
Retention and disposal:
Records are maintained on magnetic tape and
microfiche and are retained and disposed of in accordance with
disposition and authorization approved by the Archivist of the United
States.
System manager(s) sand address:
Director, Compensation and pension
Service (21), VA Central Office, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington,
DC 20420.
Notification procedure:
Any individual who wishes to determine
whether a record is being maintained in this system under his or her
name or other personal identifier, or wants to determine the contents
of such record should submit a written request or apply in person to
the nearest VA regional office or medical center. Addresses for these
offices may be found in VA Appendix 1 at the end of this document.
Inquiries should include as much of the following information as
possible: The veteran's full name, VA file number, service number and
Social Security number.
Record access procedures:
Individuals seeking information regarding
access to and contesting of VA records in this system may write, call
or visit the nearest VA regional office of medical center.
Contesting record procedures:
See Record access procedures above.
Record source categories:
The Department of Defense, National
Archives and Records Administration, and VA records such as the
Patient Treatment File, the Veterans and Beneficiary Indentification
and Records Locator Subsystem, and Veterans, Dependents and
Beneficiaries Compensation Pension records.
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