Why is Personal Identifiable Information Important to YOU?

  • Published
  • By MSgt. Jennifer Casas
  • 439th Communications Squadron
WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. --  Imagine your world being turned upside down by being the victim of identity theft.
Your wallet hasn't been stolen, your credit cards haven't been compromised and you know you haven't invested in a new car. The next thing you know - you're calling credit bureaus and calling banks. And by the way, your security clearance is due for reinvestigation.
So how can this be happening?

It's quite simple, you hear/see it left and right during briefings, login slides, annual Information Assurance (IA) training and posted on bulletin boards in your break room. Shred all documents, use Privacy Act cover sheets, send encrypted emails the list goes on and on.

We as Airmen have heard it over and over again. Do we really understand the implications?
Airman Snuffy is working on a major tasking that is due at close of business on Sunday of the UTA. Sign-out is about to be conducted and let's face it, it's Sunday of a busy UTA. As reservists, we know what that means. In an effort to meet all deadlines, Airman Snuffy unintentionally, uploads and attaches a unit manning power roster or even an outstanding voucher list from finance to an email, presses send. He calls it a day.

One of the recipients is TDY and is only able to access the information via personal email, let's go with yahoo.com. But yahoo.com is currently trying to recover several emails due to a phishing/hacking incident on their outside server..... see where this is going? Now your information -- as well as several others -- is compromised. It happens all the time.

So what now? Our headquarters counterparts are always monitoring what's sent out that is PII to outside recipients' .com accounts. And they immediately contact me as the base's PII manager. They contact the individual's supervisor, lock down their login account, and brief the wing commander. The JAG reviews for disciplinary action. Breaching PII is serious. This report eventually goes from our commander to the highest levels of our command.

You may wind up with an Article 92, $5,000 penalty, and an unfavorable information file that could remain for years. Please stay vigilant and protect each other's information and any critical information.

If you have any questions, call 557-2229.