16 to 25 Watch Out/Pentagon has your number

[ls317]

The Defense Department and a private contractor have been building an extensive database of 30 million 16-to-25-year-olds, combining names with Social Security numbers, grade-point averages, e-mail addresses and phone numbers.

The department began building the database three years ago, but military officials filed a notice announcing plans for it only last month. That is apparently a violation of the federal Privacy Act, which requires that government agencies accept public comment before new records systems are created.

David S. C. Chu, the under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, acknowledged yesterday that the database had been in the works since 2002. Pentagon officials said they discovered in May 2004 that no Privacy Act notice had been filed. The filing last month was an effort to correct that, officials said.


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/24/politics/24recruit.html?oref=login

[acmavm]

1. 'That is apparently a violation of the federal Privacy Act, ...'

Like that's gonna bother these guys. <not enough sarcasm in my body to cover this one>

[AndyTiedye]

2. It's Getting DRAFTY In Here!

[borlis]

3. Why on earth are they interested in 16 year olds?

Surely they also think that 16 is way too young. :grr:

[ls317]

5. Future

You can enter the armed forces at 17..( with a signature of a parent or legal guardian)

[linazelle]

4. They probably stole those credit card records to mine data. nt