Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records, 31999-32002 [E8-12582]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 109 (Thursday, June 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31999-32002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-12582]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Docket ID: DoD-2008-OS-0064]


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DoD.

ACTION: Notice to amend a system of records notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Secretary of Defense is amending a system of 
records notice in its existing inventory of record systems subject to 
the Privacy Act of 1974, (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended.

DATES: This proposed action will be effective without further notice on 
July 7, 2008 unless comments are received which result in a contrary 
determination.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Privacy Act Officer, Office of Freedom 
of Information, Washington Headquarters Services, 1155 Defense 
Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1155.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Cindy Allard at (703) 588-2386.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of the Secretary of Defense 
systems of records notices subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, (5 
U.S.C. 552a), as amended, have been published in the Federal Register 
and are available from the address above.
    The specific changes to the record systems being amended are set 
forth below followed by the notice, as amended, published in its 
entirety. The proposed amendments are not within the purview of 
subsection (r) of the Privacy Act of 1974, (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended, 
which requires the submission of a new or altered system report.

    Dated: May 28, 2008.
Patricia L. Toppings,
OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
DMDC 02

System Name:
    Defense Eligibility Records (February 11, 2008, FR 73 7716).

Changes:
* * * * *
    Delete DMDC 02 and replace with ``DMDC 02 DoD.''

System Name:
    Delete entry and replace with ``Defense Enrollment Eligibility 
Reporting System (DEERS).''
* * * * *
DMDC 02 DoD

System name:
    Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).

System location:
    EDS--Service Management Center, 1075 West Entrance Drive, Auburn 
Hills, MI 48326-2723.

Categories of individuals covered by the system:
    Active duty members and other Uniform Servicemembers, i.e. 
Department of Defense (DoD), Coast Guard, NOAA and USPHS; Reserve 
Members; National Guard members; State National Guard Employees; 
Presidential Appointees of all Federal Government agencies; DoD and 
Uniformed Service civil service employees, except Presidential 
appointees; Disabled American veterans; DoD and Uniformed Service 
contract employees; Former members (Reserve service, discharged RR or 
SR following notification of retirement eligibility); Medal of Honor 
recipients; Non-DoD civil service employees; U.S. Military Academy 
Students; Non-appropriated fund DoD and Uniformed Service employees 
(NAF); Non-Federal Agency Civilian associates, i.e. American Red Cross 
Emergency Services paid employees, Non-DoD contract employees; Reserve 
retirees not yet eligible for retired pay; Retired military members 
eligible for retired pay; Foreign Affiliates; DoD OCONUS Hires; DoD 
Beneficiaries; Civilian Retirees; Dependents; Members of the general 
public treated for a medical emergency in a DoD Medical Facility; 
Emergency Contact Person; Care Givers; Prior Military Eligible for VA 
benefits.

Categories of records in the system:
    Computer files containing beneficiary's name, Service or Social 
Security Number, enrollment number, relationship of beneficiary to 
sponsor, residence address of beneficiary or sponsor, date of birth of 
beneficiary, sex of beneficiary, branch of Service of sponsor, dates of 
beginning and ending eligibility, number of family members of sponsor, 
primary unit duty location of sponsor, race and ethnic origin of 
beneficiary, occupation of sponsor, rank/pay grade of sponsor, 
disability documentation, Medicare eligibility and enrollment data, 
primary and secondary fingerprints and photographs of beneficiaries, 
blood test results, dental care eligibility codes and dental x-rays.
    Catastrophic Cap and Deductible (CCD) transactions, including 
monetary amounts; CHAMPUS/TRICARE claim records containing enrollee, 
participant and health care facility, provider data such as cause of 
treatment, amount of payment, name and Social Security or tax 
identification number of providers or potential providers of care; 
citizenship data/country of birth; civil service employee employment 
information (agency and bureau, pay plan and grade, nature of action 
code and nature of action effective date, occupation series, dates of 
promotion and expected return from overseas, service computation date); 
claims data; compensation data; contractor fee payment data; date of 
separation of former enlisted and officer personnel; demographic data 
(kept on others beyond beneficiaries) date of birth, home of record 
state, sex, race, education level; Department of Veterans Affairs 
disability payment records; digital signatures where appropriate to 
assert validity of data; email (home/work); emergency contact 
information; immunization data; Information Assurance (IA) Work Force 
information; language data; military personnel information (rank, 
assignment/deployment, length of service, military occupation, 
education, and benefit usage); pharmacy benefits; reason leaving 
military service or DoD civilian service; Reserve member's civilian 
occupation and employment information; education benefit eligibility 
and usage; special military pay information; SGLI/FGLI; stored 
documents for proofing identity and association; workforces information 
(e.g. Acquisition, First Responders); Privacy Act audit logs.

Authority for maintenance of the system:
    5 U.S.C. 301, Departmental Regulations; 10 U.S.C. Chapters 53, 54, 
55, 58, and 75; 10 U.S.C. 136; 31 U.S.C.

[[Page 32000]]

3512(c); 50 U.S.C. Chapter 23, Internal Security; DoD Directive 1341.1, 
Defense Enrollment/Eligibility Reporting System; DoD Instruction 
1341.2, DEERS Procedures; 5 U.S.C. App. 3 (Pub. L. 95-452, as amended 
(Inspector General Act of 1978)); Public Law 106-265, Federal Long-Term 
Care Insurance; 10 U.S.C. 2358, Research and Development Projects; 42 
U.S.C., Chapter 20, Subchapter I-G, Registration and Voting by Absent 
Uniformed Services Voters and Overseas Voters in Elections for Federal 
Office, Sec. 1973ff, Federal responsibilities; DoD Directive 1000.4, 
Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP); Homeland Security 
Presidential Directive 12, Policy for a Common Identification Standard 
for Federal Employees and Contractors; 38 CFR part 9.20, Traumatic 
injury protection, Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance and Veterans' 
Group Life Insurance; and E.O. 9397 (SSN).

Purpose(s):
    The purpose of the system is to provide a database for determining 
eligibility to DoD entitlements and privileges; to support DoD health 
care management programs; to provide identification of deceased 
members; to record the issuance of DoD badges and identification cards, 
i.e. Common Access Cards (CAC) or beneficiary cards; and to detect 
fraud and abuse of the benefit programs by claimants and providers to 
include appropriate collection actions arising out of any debts 
incurred as a consequence of such programs.
    To authenticate and identify DoD affiliated personnel (e.g., 
contractors); to assess manpower, support personnel and readiness 
functions; to perform statistical analyses; identify current DoD 
civilian and military personnel for purposes of detecting fraud and 
abuse of benefit programs; to register current DoD civilian and 
military personnel and their authorized dependents for purposes of 
obtaining medical examination, treatment or other benefits to which 
they are entitled; to ensure benefit eligibility is retained after 
separation from the military; information will be used by agency 
officials and employees, or authorized contractors, and other DoD 
Components for personnel and manpower studies; and to assist in 
recruiting prior-service personnel.

Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including categories 
of users and the purposes of such uses:
    In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, these records or information contained 
therein may specifically be disclosed outside the DoD as a routine use 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows:
    1. To the Social Security Administration (SSA) to perform computer 
data matching against the SSA Wage and Earnings Record file for 
identifying employers of Department of Defense (DoD) beneficiaries 
eligible for health care. This employer data will in turn be used to 
identify those employed beneficiaries who have employment-related group 
health insurance, to coordinate insurance benefits provided by DoD with 
those provided by the other insurance. This information will also be 
used to perform computer data matching against the SSA Master 
Beneficiary Record file for identifying DoD beneficiaries eligible for 
health care who are enrolled in the Medicare Program, to coordinate 
insurance benefits provided by DoD with those provided by Medicare.
    2. To other Federal agencies and state, local and territorial 
governments to identify fraud and abuse of the Federal agency's 
programs and to identify debtors and collect debts and overpayment in 
the DoD health care programs.
    3. To each of the fifty states and the District of Columbia for the 
purpose of conducting an on going computer matching program with state 
Medicaid agencies to determine the extent to which state Medicaid 
beneficiaries may be eligible for Uniformed Services health care 
benefits, including CHAMPUS, TRICARE, and to recover Medicaid monies 
from the CHAMPUS program.
    4. To provide dental care providers assurance of treatment 
eligibility.
    5. To Federal agencies and/or their contractors, in response to 
their requests, for purposes of authenticating the identity of 
individuals who, incident to the conduct of official business, present 
the Common Access Card or similar identification as proof of identity 
to gain physical or logical access to government and contractor 
facilities, locations, networks, or systems.
    6. To State and local child support enforcement agencies for 
purposes of providing information, consistent with the requirements of 
29 U.S.C. 1169(a), 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(19), and E.O. 12953 and in response 
to a National Medical Support Notice (NMSN) (or equivalent notice if 
based upon the statutory authority for the NMSN), regarding the 
military status of identified individuals and whether, and for what 
period of time, the children of such individuals are or were eligible 
for DoD health care coverage. Note: Information requested by the States 
is not disclosed when it would contravene U.S. national policy or 
security interests (42 U.S.C. 653(e)).
    7. To the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS):
    a. For purposes of providing information, consistent with the 
requirements of 42 U.S.C. 653 and in response to an HHS request, 
regarding the military status of identified individuals and whether, 
and for what period of time, the children of such individuals are or 
were eligible for DoD healthcare coverage. Note: Information requested 
by HHS is not disclosed when it would contravene U.S. national policy 
or security interests (42 U.S.C. 653(e)).
    b. For purposes of providing information so that specified Medicare 
determinations, specifically late enrollment and waiver of penalty, can 
be made for eligible (1) DoD military retirees and (2) spouses (or 
former spouses) and/or dependents of either military retirees or active 
duty military personnel, pursuant to section 625 of the Medicare 
Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2002 (as 
codified at 42 U.S.C. 1395p and 1395r).
    c. To the Office of Child Support Enforcement, Federal Parent 
Locator Service, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 653 and 653a; to assist in 
locating individuals for the purpose of establishing parentage; 
establishing, setting the amount of, modifying, or enforcing child 
support obligations; or enforcing child custody or visitation orders; 
the relationship to a child receiving benefits provided by a third 
party and the name and SSN of those third party providers who have a 
legal responsibility. Identifying delinquent obligors will allow State 
Child Support Enforcement agencies to commence wage withholding or 
other enforcement actions against the obligors.
    8. To the American Red Cross for purposes of providing emergency 
notification and assistance to members of the Armed Forces, retirees, 
family members or survivors.
    9. To the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA):
    a. To provide military personnel and pay data for present and 
former military personnel for the purpose of evaluating use of 
veterans' benefits, validating benefit eligibility and maintaining the 
health and well being of veterans and their family members.
    b. To provide identifying military personnel data to the DVA and 
its insurance program contractor for the purpose of notifying 
separating eligible Reservists of their right to apply for Veteran's 
Group Life Insurance coverage

[[Page 32001]]

under the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 1996 (38 U.S.C. 1968) 
and for DVA to administer the Traumatic Servicemember's Group Life 
Insurance (TSGLI) (Traumatic Injury Protection Rider to Servicemember's 
Group Life Insurance (TSGLI), 38 CFR part 9.20).
    c. To register eligible veterans and their dependents for DVA 
programs.
    d. Providing identification of former military personnel and 
survivor's financial benefit data to DVA for the purpose of identifying 
military retired pay and survivor benefit payments for use in the 
administration of the DVA's Compensation and Pension Program (38 U.S.C. 
5106). The information is to be used to process all DVA award actions 
more efficiently, reduce subsequent overpayment collection actions, and 
minimize erroneous payments.
    e. To conduct computer matching programs regulated by the Privacy 
Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a), for the purposes of:
    (1) Providing full identification of active duty military 
personnel, including full time National Guard/Reserve support 
personnel, for use in the administration of DVA's Compensation and 
Pension benefit program. The information is used to determine continued 
eligibility for DVA disability compensation to recipients who have 
returned to active duty so that benefits can be adjusted or terminated 
as required and steps taken by DVA to collect any resulting over 
payment (38 U.S.C. 5304(c)).
    (2) Providing military personnel and financial data to the Veterans 
Benefits Administration, DVA for the purpose of determining initial 
eligibility and any changes in eligibility status to insure proper 
payment of benefits for GI Bill education and training benefits by the 
DVA under the Montgomery GI Bill (Title 10 U.S.C., Chapter 1606--
Selected Reserve and Title 38 U.S.C., Chapter 30--Active Duty), the 
REAP educational benefit (Title 10 U.S.C, Chapter 1607), and the 
National Call to Service enlistment educational benefit (Title 10, 
Chapter 510). The administrative responsibilities designated to both 
agencies by the law require that data be exchanged in administering the 
programs.
    (3) Providing identification of reserve duty, including full time 
support National Guard/Reserve military personnel, to the DVA, for the 
purpose of deducting reserve time served from any DVA disability 
compensation paid or waiver of VA benefit. The law (10 U.S.C. 12316) 
prohibits receipt of reserve pay and DVA compensation for the same time 
period, however, it does permit waiver of DVA compensation to draw 
reserve pay.
    (4) Providing identification of former active duty military 
personnel who received separation payments to the DVA for the purpose 
of deducting such repayment from any DVA disability compensation paid. 
The law requires recoupment of severance payments before DVA disability 
compensation can be paid (10 U.S.C. 1174).
    f. To provide identifying military personnel data to the DVA for 
the purpose of notifying such personnel of information relating to 
educational assistance as required by the Veterans Programs Enhancement 
Act of 1998 (38 U.S.C. 3011 and 3034).
    10. To DoD Civilian Contractors and grantees for the purpose of 
performing research on manpower problems for statistical analyses.
    11. To consumer reporting agencies to obtain current addresses of 
separated military personnel to notify them of potential benefits 
eligibility.
    12. To Defense contractors to monitor the employment of former DoD 
employees and military members subject to the provisions of 41 U.S.C. 
423.
    13. To Federal and Quasi Federal agencies, territorial, state, and 
local governments to support personnel functions requiring data on 
prior military service credit for their employees or for job 
applications. To determine continued eligibility and help eliminate 
fraud and abuse in benefit programs and to collect debts and over 
payments owed to these programs. Information released includes name, 
Social Security Number, and military or civilian address of 
individuals. To detect fraud, waste and abuse pursuant to the authority 
contained in the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended (Pub. L. 95-
452) for the purpose of determining eligibility for, and/or continued 
compliance with, any Federal benefit program requirements.
    14. To Federal and Quasi Federal agencies, territorial, state and 
local governments, and contractors and grantees for the purpose of 
supporting research studies concerned with the health and well being of 
active duty, reserve, and retired personnel or veterans, to include 
family members. DMDC will disclose information from this system of 
records for research purposes when DMDC:
    a. Has determined that the use or disclosure does not violate legal 
or policy limitations under which the record was provided, collected, 
or obtained;
    b. Has determined that the research purpose (1) cannot be 
reasonably accomplished unless the record is provided in individually 
identifiable form, and (2) warrants the risk to the privacy of the 
individual that additional exposure of the record might bring;
    c. Has required the recipient to (1) Establish reasonable 
administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to prevent 
unauthorized use or disclosure of the record, and (2) remove or destroy 
the information that identifies the individual at the earliest time at 
which removal or destruction can be accomplished consistent with the 
purpose of the research project, unless the recipient has presented 
adequate justification of a research or health nature for retaining 
such information, and (3) make no further use or disclosure of the 
record except (A) In emergency circumstances affecting the health or 
safety of any individual, (B) for use in another research project, 
under these same conditions, and with written authorization of the 
Department, (C) for disclosure to a properly identified person for the 
purpose of an audit related to the research project, if information 
that would enable research subjects to be identified is removed or 
destroyed at the earliest opportunity consistent with the purpose of 
the audit, or (D) when required by law;
    d. Has secured a written statement attesting to the recipients' 
understanding of, and willingness to abide by these provisions.
    15. To Federal and State agencies for purposes of obtaining 
socioeconomic information on Armed Forces personnel so that analytical 
studies can be conducted with a view to assessing the present needs and 
future requirements of such personnel.
    16. To Federal and state agencies to validate demographic data 
(e.g., Social Security Number, citizenship status, date and place of 
birth, etc.) for individuals in DoD personnel and pay files so that 
accurate information is available in support of DoD requirements.
    17. To the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, 
Department of Homeland Security, for purposes of facilitating the 
verification of individuals who may be eligible for expedited 
naturalization (Pub. L. 108-136, Section 1701, and E.O. 13269, 
Expedited Naturalization).
    18. To the Federal voting program to provide unit and e-mail 
addresses for the purpose of notifying the military members where to 
obtain absentee ballots.
    19. To the Department of Homeland Security for the conduct of 
studies related to the health and well-being of Coast Guard members and 
to

[[Page 32002]]

authenticate and identify Coast Guard personnel.
    20. To Coast Guard recruiters in the performance of their assigned 
duties.
    21. To the Office of Personnel Management:
    To conduct computer matching programs regulated by the Privacy Act 
of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a), for the purpose of:
    (1) Providing to OPM all reserve military members eligible for 
TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) to matched against the OPM Central 
Personnel Data File (OPM/GOVT-1) for providing those reserve military 
members that are also Federal civil service employees. This disclosure 
by OPM will provide the DoD with the FEHB eligibility and Federal 
employment information necessary to determine continuing eligibility 
for the TRS program. Only those reservists not eligible for FEHB are 
eligible for TRS (Section 1076d of title 10).
    The DoD ``Blanket Routine Uses'' published at the beginning of 
OSD's compilation of systems of records notices apply to this system.

Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, 
and disposing of records in the system:
Storage:
    Records are maintained on magnetic tapes and disks, and are housed 
in a controlled computer media library.

Retrievability:
    Records about individuals are retrieved by an algorithm which uses 
name, Social Security Number, date of birth, rank, and duty location as 
possible inputs. Retrievals are made on summary basis by geographic 
characteristics and location and demographic characteristics. 
Information about individuals will not be distinguishable in summary 
retrievals. Retrievals for the purposes of generating address lists for 
direct mail distribution may be made using selection criteria based on 
geographic and demographic keys.

Safeguards:
    Computerized records are maintained in a controlled area accessible 
only to authorized personnel. Entry to these areas is restricted to 
those personnel with a valid requirement and authorization to enter. 
Physical entry is restricted by the use of locks, guards, and 
administrative procedures (e.g., fire protection regulations).
    Access to personal information is restricted to those who require 
the records in the performance of their official duties, and to the 
individuals who are the subjects of the record or their authorized 
representatives. Access to personal information is further restricted 
by the use of passwords, which are changed periodically. All 
individuals granted access to this system of records is to have 
received Information Assurance and Privacy Act training.

Retention and disposal:
    Data is destroyed when superseded or when no longer needed for 
operational purposes, whichever is later.

System manager(s) and address:
    Deputy Director, Defense Manpower Data Center, DoD Center Monterey 
Bay, 400 Gigling Road, Seaside, CA 93955-6771.

Notification procedure:
    Individuals seeking to determine whether information about 
themselves is contained in this system should address written inquiries 
to the Deputy Director, Defense Manpower Data Center, DoD Center 
Monterey Bay, 400 Gigling Road, Seaside, CA 93955-6771.
    Written requests should contain the full name, Social Security 
Number (SSN), date of birth, and current address and telephone number 
of the individual.
    Individuals should provide the name and number of this system of 
records notice so that your request can be tasked to the appropriate 
OSD/JS office. This section must also include a description of needed 
identifier so that the record may be retrieved.

Record access procedures:
    Individuals seeking access to information about themselves 
contained in this system should address written inquiries to the OSD/JS 
FOIA Requester Service Center, Office of the Freedom of Information, 
Washington Headquarters Services, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 
20301-1155.
    Written requests should contain the full name, Social Security 
Number (SSN), date of birth, and current address and telephone number 
of the individual.
    Individuals should provide the name and number of this system of 
records notice so that your request can be tasked to the appropriate 
OSD/JS office. This section must also include a description of needed 
identifier so that the record may be retrieved.

Contesting record procedures:
    The OSD rules for accessing records, for contesting contents and 
appealing initial agency determinations are published in OSD 
Administrative Instruction 81; 32 CFR part 311; or may be obtained from 
the Privacy Act Officer, Office of Freedom of Information, Washington 
Headquarters Services, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-
1155.

Record source categories:
    Individuals, personnel, pay, and benefit systems of the military 
and civilian departments and agencies of the Defense Department, the 
Coast Guard, the Public Health Service, the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, and other 
Federal agencies.

Exemptions claimed for the system:
    None.
[FR Doc. E8-12582 Filed 6-4-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P