VA "PRIVACY VOLUNTEERS" NEEDED IN EVERY STATE
June 25, 2007

The VA Office of Privacy and Records Management (005G) is in need of volunteers from all fifty states and the Philippines to participate in the Release of Names and Addresses (RONA) program. 

Title 38 U.S.C., section 7721-7725, authorizes the release of names and addresses of veterans and dependents to nonprofit organizations or Members of Congress provided the purpose is directly connected with the conduct of programs and utilization of benefits under Title 38. 

Program monitors are VA employee volunteers who authorize the use of their names, station numbers, station addresses, office symbols and VA telephone numbers for inclusion in name and address listings of veterans and dependents residing in their geographical area.  For example, a veteran’s organization may be approved to receive a list from the Compensation and Pension file of names and addresses of veterans who reside in the State of Montana. 

Prior to releasing the list to the organization, the Office of Privacy and Records Management inserts at least two names of RONA monitors who reside in Montana.  Employees do not need to be veterans in order to serve as RONA monitors. In the event that a list of names and addresses released by VA is used for unauthorized purposes, it is essential that the Department is able to prove that the list was, in fact, obtained from VA rather than from some other source. In addition, it must be able to identify possible instances where a list is obtained from VA by an organization and then subsequently sold to another organization, in violation of Title 38.

For further inquires or to volunteer, please contact Sheila Askew at 202-565-8722 Sheila.askew@va.govor John Chambers at 202-565-7016 john.chambers@va.gov.