[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 230 (Tuesday, December 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66132-66133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30996]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Defense Logistics Agency


Privacy Act of 1974; Computer Matching Program

AGENCY: Defense Manpower Data Center, Defense Logistics Agency, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of a Computer Matching Program.

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SUMMARY: Subsection (e)(12) of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 
U.S.C. 552a), requires agencies to publish advanced notice of any 
proposed or revised computer matching program by the matching agency 
for public comment. The DoD, as the matching agency under the Privacy 
Act is hereby giving notice to the record subjects of a computer 
matching program between VA and DoD that their records are being 
matched by computer. The purpose of this agreement is to obtain an 
accurate reconciliation between DoD/USCG and VA as to the correct pay 
and allowances to be paid by the military services to the individual 
for duty performed and the proper disability compensation or pension to 
be paid to, or waived by, certain veterans in the Reserve Forces.

DATES: This proposed action will become effective December 31, 1998, 
and matching may commence unless changes to the matching program are 
required due to public comments or by Congressional or by Office of 
Management and Budget objections. Any public comment must be received 
before the effective date.

ADDRESSES: Any interested party may submit written comments to the 
Director, Defense Privacy Office, 1941 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 
920, Arlington, VA 22202-4502.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Vahan Moushegian, Jr. at (703) 
607-2943.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to subsection (o) of the Privacy 
Act of 1974, as amended, (5 U.S.C. 552a), the DMDC and VA have 
concluded an agreement to conduct a computer matching program. The 
purpose of this agreement is to obtain an accurate reconciliation 
between the DoD/USCG and VA as to the correct pay and allowances to be 
paid by the military services to the individual for duty performed and 
the proper disability compensation or pension to be paid to, or waived 
by, certain veterans in the Reserve Forces.
    The parties to this agreement have determined that a computer 
matching program is the most efficient, expeditious, and effective 
means of obtaining and processing the information needed by the DVA to 
identify those individuals who are receiving both VA compensation and 
DoD/USCG payments for those periods when they are performing Reserve 
Duty. By law, the individual must waive his or her entitlement to VA 
disability compensation or pension if he or she desires to receive DoD/
USCG pay and allowances for the period of duty performed. This matching 
agreement will result in an accurate reconciliation of such payments by 
permitting the VA to determine which individuals are being paid by DoD/
USCG for duty performed and are being paid VA disability compensation 
or pension benefits for the same period of time without a waiver on 
file with the VA. If this reconciliation is not done by computer 
matching, but is done manually, the cost would be prohibitive and it is 
possible that not all such dual payments would be detected.
    A copy of the computer matching agreement between VA and DoD is 
available upon request. Requests should be submitted to the address 
caption above or to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans 
Benefit Administration, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420.
    Set forth below is the notice of the establishment of a computer 
matching program required by paragraph 6.c. of the Office of Management 
and Budget Guidelines on computer matching published on June 19, 1989, 
at 54 FR 25818.
    The matching agreement, as required by 5 U.S.C. 552a(r) of the 
Privacy Act, and an advance copy of this notice was submitted on 
November 4, 1998, to the House Committee on Government Reform and 
Oversight, the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, and the 
Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget pursuant to paragraph 4d of Appendix I 
to OMB Circular No. A-130, `Federal Agency Responsibilities for 
Maintaining Records about Individuals,' dated February 8, 1996 
(February 20, 1996, 61 FR 6427).
    Dated: November 16, 1998.

L. M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.

NOTICE OF A COMPUTER MATCHING PROGRAM BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR RESERVE PAY 
RECONCILIATION

    A. Paticipating agencies: Participants in this computer matching 
program are the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Defense 
Manpower Data Center (DMDC) of the Department of Defense (DoD). The VA 
is the source agency, i.e., the activity disclosing the records for the 
purpose of the match. The DMDC is the specific recipient activity or 
matching agency, i.e., the agency that actually performs the computer 
matching.
    B. Purpose of the match: The purpose of this agreement is to obtain 
an accurate reconciliation between DoD/USCG and VA as to the correct 
pay and allowances to be paid by the military services to the 
individual for duty performed and the proper disability compensation or 
pension to be paid to, or waived by, certain veterans in the Reserve 
Forces. The agreement will not only cover current individuals receiving 
dual payments but those who may have received them for Fiscal Years 
1993 through 1997.
    C. Authority for conducting the match: The legal authority for 
conducting the matching program is 38 U.S.C. 5304(c) which provides 
that VA disability compensation or pension based upon his or her 
previous military service shall not be paid to a person for any period 
for which such person receives active service pay. 10 U.S.C. 12316 
further provides that a reservist who is entitled to disability 
payments due to his or her earlier military service and who performs 
duty for which he or she is entitled to DoD/USCG compensation may elect 
to receive for that duty either the disability payments or, if he or 
she waives such payments, the DoD/USCG compensation for the duty 
performed.
    D. Records to be matched: The systems of records maintained by the 
respective agencies under the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 
552a, from which records will be disclosed for the purpose of this 
computer match are as follows:
    1. The VA will use 58 VA 21/22, entitled 'Compensation, Pension, 
and Education and Rehabilitation Records - VA' first published on March 
3, 1976, at

[[Page 66133]]

41 FR 924, and last amended on April 24, 1995, at 60 FR 20156, with 
other amendments as cited therein.
    2. The DMDC will use S322.10 DMDC, entitled 'Defense Manpower Data 
Center Data Base', last published on July 14, 1998 at 63 FR 37860.
    E. Description of Computer Matching Program: Annually, VA will 
submit to DMDC an electronic file of all VA pension and disability 
compensation beneficiaries as of the end of September. Upon receipt of 
the electronic file, DMDC will match this file by SSN with a file of 
days drilled as submitted to DMDC by the military services and the 
USCG. Upon a SSN match, or a 'hit,' of both files, DMDC will provide VA 
the individual's name and other identifying data, to include the number 
of days drilled, by Fiscal Year, for each matched record.
    The hits will be furnished to VA which will be responsible for 
verifying and determining that the data in the DMDC electronic file is 
consistent with the VA files and for resolving any discrepancies or 
inconsistencies on an individual basis. VA will initiate actions to 
obtain an election by the individual of which pay he or she wishes to 
receive and will be responsible for making final determinations as to 
positive identification, eligibility for, or amounts of pension or 
disability compensation benefits, adjustments thereto, or any recovery 
of overpayments, or such other action as authorized by law.
    The annual electronic file provided by the VA will contain 
information on approximately 2.2 million pension and disability 
compensation recipients.
    The DMDC computer database file contains information on 
approximately 885,000 DoD and 7,000 USCG reservists who receive pay and 
allowances for performing authorized duty.
    VA will furnish DMDC the name and SSN of all VA pension and 
disability compensation recipients and DMDC will supply VA the name, 
SSN, date of birth, and the number of days drilled by fiscal year of 
each reservist who is identified as a result of the match.
    F. Inclusive dates of the Matching Program: This computer matching 
program is subject to public comment and review by Congress and the 
Office of Management and Budget. If the mandatory 30 day period for 
comment has expired and no comments are received and if no objections 
are raised by either Congress or the Office of Management and Budget 
within 40 days of being notified of the proposed match, the computer 
matching program becomes effective and the respective agencies may 
begin the exchange at a mutually agreeable time on a annual basis. By 
agreement between VA and DMDC, the matching program will be in effect 
for 18 months with an option to renew for 12 additional months unless 
one of the parties to the agreement advises the other by written 
request to terminate or modify the agreement.
    G. Address for receipt of public comments or inquiries: Director, 
Defense Privacy Office, 1941 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 920, 
Arlington, VA 22202-4502. Telephone (703) 607-2943.
[FR Doc. 98-30996 Filed 11-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-04-F