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Vets to get new VIC card
VIC (Veterans Identity Card):
The Department of Veterans Affairs has designed a new identity card for
veterans that will safeguard confidential information while combating
identity theft. The card, formally known as the Veterans Identity Card
(VIC), will have veterans' photos on the front and identify them as
enrollees in the VA's health-care system. Encrypted on a magnetic tape on
the back of the card will be the veteran's Social Security number, date of
birth and a control number. The magnetic strip also records whether the
veteran has a service-connected disability. Identity theft is one of the
fastest growing crimes in the nation. The Federal Trade Commission listed
identity theft as the No. 1 fraud reported by consumers in 2003. Requests
from veterans and their congressional representatives were instrumental in
bringing about these latest changes. Veterans should request the new card at
their local medical center. Processing will take five to seven days once
eligibility is verified. VA officials hope to complete the conversion to the
new, safer card by mid-November. The existing cards will remain valid until
veterans receive their new cards.
[Source: Department of Veterans Affairs
http://www.va.gov Nov
04]
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