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thedrifter
08-28-02, 09:49 PM
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2002 -- Vice President Dick Cheney <br />
saluted America's war veterans Monday as an example for the <br />
nation and said, &quot;Every veteran deserves a response that is <br />
fair, respectful and...

NamGrunt68
08-29-02, 10:07 AM
_________________________________________________
QUOTE:
"Under our administration, you won't receive excuses," he
pledged. "You will receive action." Cheney spoke at the
Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention in Nashville,
Tenn.
__________________________________________________

AND I'M THE PHUCIN TOOTH FAIRY !!!

wrbones
08-29-02, 11:10 PM
I'm with ya there NAMGRUNT! If ya ain't had to deal with them, ya might be tempted to buy it! LMAO! That was great!

NamGrunt68
08-30-02, 05:35 AM
I swear Bone's, these damn politicians got more sides to their mouths than the Pentagon !!!! Take VP Chaney fer example....another one that evaded goin to Nam speakin on behalf of the VA and tellin em how they gonna take care of the Veterans.......check this out:

BY Judi Hasson , Federal Computer Week
A private auditing firm hired by the Department of Veterans Affairs'
inspector general easily broke into computers at the agency "dozens of
times" this year, gaining total control of data and creating a phantom
veteran to fraudulently collect benefits.

Testifying before the House Veterans Affairs Committee's Oversight and
Investigations Subcommittee last week, lawmakers and VA officials expressed
frustration regarding the failure to protect the records of 7 million
veterans who count on the system for health and other benefits.

The security problems plaguing the system have been known for at least five
years, a period during which the VA has spent more than $5 billion on
information technology.

"We need a system that's more like a rock than a mushroom," said Rep. Terry
Everett (R-Ala.), subcommittee chairman.

Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.), the ranking Democrat on the panel, said the
security problems at VA represent "an open door to the U.S. Treasury."

The security audit, performed by PricewaterhouseCoopers, found major
weaknesses in the firewalls at computers operated by the Veterans Benefits
Administration and the Veterans Health Administration.

Michael Slachta Jr., the VA's assistant inspector general for auditing, said
the agency's programs and financial data are "vulnerable to destruction,
manipulation and fraud."

Slachta said virtually any VA information is available for the picking, and
hackers could enter the system through a back door to access VA computer
systems.

"We were able to get to the individual veteran's record," Slachta said.
Hackers could obtain a veteran's Social Security number, which could be used
to open checking accounts and verify identity, and could access a veteran's
master identification record and cull information about a veteran's family.

Slachta said the VA did not even detect that its systems had been hacked.

PricewaterhouseCoopers did not try to break into VHA systems, but Slachta
said VHA records are no more secure than those at the VBA.

"VHA's program and financial data continue to be vulnerable to error or
fraud because of serious weaknesses in automated data processing general
controls throughout VHA," Slachta said.

K. Adair Martinez, the VBA's chief information officer, said the VA has been
able to detect and thwart some attacks. The VBA detected and blocked two
attacks on the system the week of Sept. 10.

In the past six months, she said, the VA has installed software to detect
hackers and fortify its firewalls. Whenever there is a problem, she said, IT
staffers are notified by beeper at home.

"No system is totally bulletproof," she said, "but we're putting patches on
all the time."

Veterans groups expressed indignation at the security breaches at the VA.

"We're appalled that the medical records of veterans were subject to being
compromised," said Dick Mannemacher, spokesman for Disabled American
Veterans. "We feel medical records and information systems have to be
tightened to protect those persons who became sick and disabled in the
nation's defense."

In its latest report on VA computer problems, the General Accounting Office
said the VA has failed to provide leadership to develop a seamless computer
system.

"Until the department develops and implements a coordinated system, there is
little assurance that the records are protected," said Joel Willemssen, GAO'
s director of Civil Agencies Information Systems, who also testified at the
hearing.

Everett said VA's decentral----ized environment with a classic stove-pipe
architecture is partly to blame for the lax security. VA CIOs responsible
for benefits, health and national veteran cemeteries operate independently.
"It is a prime example of people protecting their turf," Everett said.

Nevertheless, the White House last month named Edward Meagher, an industry
IT expert, as the first assistant secretary for information and technology
to serve as the VA's CIO. Meagher awaits confirmation by Congress and is
working as a special assistant to the VA secretary.

also see: VA toughens security after PC disposal blunders
http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2002/0826/news-va-08-26-02.asp
VA toughens security after PC disposal blunders Indianapolis

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The VA better take care o itself first !!!! Have a good un all Bones and all you Marines and Doc's hang tight and tuff

wrbones
08-30-02, 07:47 PM
They expected their rules and regulations to keep hackers out. Right!!!! Works for Veterans trying to file for benefits! LMAO!

MillRatUSMC
08-30-02, 10:52 PM
But this one of those times...
!@@#$%^&*&^^%$%^%$##
All this from the (_I_) that said;
He had "OTHER PIORITIES"
Trying to hand us a line of BS
We have to make "CO-PAYMENTS" on meds and any treatment given us for things resulting from our service.
We forefilled our "PIORITIES"
Not like some BShxtters who had "OTHER PIORITIES"
Now they made millions on inside trading.
What a frigging (_I_)...
If he was any kind of man, he wouldn't show his face at any function involving Veterans.
Hotter than hades out here in northwest Indiana.
After reading that crock of BS...

Semper Fidelis
Ricardo