[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15701-15702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-3000]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[DoD-2006-OS-0046]


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DoD.

ACTION: Notice to amend systems of records.

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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 
April 28, 2006 unless comments are received which results in a contrary 
determination.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the OSD Privacy Act Coordinator, Records 
Management Section, Washington Headquarters Services, 1155 Defense 
Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1155.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Juanita Irvin at (703) 696-4940.

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 system 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: March 23, 2006.
L.M. Bynum,
OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
DHA 05

System name:
    Military Deployment Issues Files (December 8, 2000, 65 FR 76999).

Changes:
    Add the following to the end of the entry: ``or TRICARE Management 
Activity Privacy Office, Skyline 5, Suite 810, 5111 Leesburg Pike, 
Falls Church, VA 22041-3201.''

Record access procedures:
    Add the following to the end of the entry: ``or TRICARE Management 
Activity Privacy Office, Skyline 5, Suite 810, 5111 Leesburg Pike, 
Falls Church, VA 22041-3201.''
 DHA 05

System name:
    Military Deployment Issues Files.

System location:
    Office of the Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for 
Gulf War Illnesses, Medical Readiness, and Military Deployments, 5113 
Leesburg Pike, Suite 901, Falls Church, VA 22041-3226; DoD Deployment 
Health Clinical Center (including the Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation 
and Special Care Programs), Walter Reed Army medical center, 
Washington, DC 20307-0002; DoD Deployment Health Research Center, Naval 
Health Research Center, 271 Catalina Boulevard, Barracks Building 322, 
San Diego, CA 92152-5302; DoD Deployment Health Medical Surveillance 
Center, Director of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance, U.S. Army 
Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Aberdeen Proving 
Ground, MD 21010-5422; and U.S. Armed Services Center for Unit Records 
Research, 7798 Cissna Road, Suite 101, Springfield, VA 22150-3197.

Categories of Individuals Covered by the System:
    Individuals who participated in military deployments or related 
operations, exercises, or tests, or served in Operation Desert Storm 
and/or Operation Desert Shield, the Kuwait Theater of Operations who 
feel they may have been exposed to biological, chemical, radiological, 
disease, or environmental agents.

Categories of Records in the System:
    Records consist of individual's name, Social Security Number or 
service number, last known or current address, occupational 
information, date and extent of involvement in military deployments or 
related operations, exercises, or tests, perceived issues, exposure 
information, medical treatment information, medical history of subject, 
and other documentation of reports of possible exposure to biological, 
chemical radiological, disease, or environmental agents. The system 
contains information from unit and historical records, medical and 
hospital records, and information provided to the DoD by individuals 
with first-hand knowledge of reports of possible biological, chemical, 
radiological, disease, or environmental incidents. Information from 
health care providers who have evaluated patients with illnesses 
possibly related to military deployments is also included. Records 
include those documents, files, and other media that could relate to 
possible deployment health issues or illnesses. Records of diagnostic 
and treatment methods pursued on subjects following reports of possible 
incidental exposure are also included in this system.

Authority for Maintenance of the System:
    10 U.S.C. 131, Office of the Secretary of Defense; 10 U.S.C. 136, 
Under

[[Page 15702]]

Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness; and E.O. 9397 (SSN).

Purpose(s):
    Records are collected and assembled to permit investigative 
examination and analysis of reports of possible exposure to biological, 
chemical, radiological, disease, or environmental agents incident to 
service in military deployments or related operations, exercises, or 
tests, or service in Gulf War deployments, to conduct scientific or 
related studies or medical follow-up programs, and to assist in the 
resolution of deployment related issues.

Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System; Including Categories 
of Users and 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:
    To the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security 
Administration for appropriate consideration of individual claims for 
benefits for which that agency is responsible.
    To the Department of Veterans Affairs and Health and Human 
Services, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to permit 
investigative, scientific, medical and other analyses regarding 
deployment health issues and incidents and possible causes, symptoms, 
diagnoses, treatment, and other characteristics pertinent to service 
member's and veteran's health.
    To the Military and Veterans Health Coordinating Board (MVHCB), 
which will coordinate with several agencies the clinical, research, and 
health risk communications issues relating to service member's (and 
veteran's) pre and post deployment health.
    The DoD `Blanket Routine Uses' set forth 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:
    Paper records are maintained in file folders; electronic records 
are stored on magnetic media; microfilm/microfiche are maintained in 
appropriate storage containers.

Retrievability:
    Records are retrieved by case number, name, Social Security Number 
or service number and key words.

Safeguards:
    Access to areas where records maintained is limited to authorized 
personnel. Areas are protected by access control devices during working 
hours and intrusion alarm devices during non-duty hours.

Retention and disposal:
    Disposition pending (until NARA approves retention and disposition 
schedule, treat records as permanent.)

System manager(s) and address:
    Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Gulf War 
Illnesses, Medical Readiness, and Military Deployments, 5113 Leesburg 
Pike, Suite 901, Falls Church, VA 22041-3226.

Notification procedure:
    Individuals seeking to determine whether information about 
themselves is contained in this system should address written inquiries 
to the Special Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Gulf War 
Illnesses, Medical Readiness, and Military Deployments, 5113 Leesburg 
Pike, Suite 901, Falls Church, VA 22041-3226; or TRICARE Management 
Activity Privacy Office, Skyline 5, Suite 80, 5111 Leesburg Pike, Falls 
Church, VA 22041-3201.

Record access procedures:
    Individuals seeking access to records about themselves contained in 
this system of records should address written inquiries to the Special 
Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Gulf War Illnesses, Medical 
Readiness, and Military Deployments, 5113 Leesburg Pike, Suite 901, 
Falls Church, VA 22041-3226; or TRICARE Management Activity Privacy 
Office, Skyline 5, Suite 810, 5111 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 
22041-3201.

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 system manager.

Record source categories:
    Information is from the individual's themselves, witnesses to a 
possible event, health care providers who have evaluated patients with 
illnesses possibly related to service in military deployments or 
related operations, exercises, or tests as well as extracts from 
official DoD records to include: Personnel files and lists, unit 
histories, medical records, and related sources.

Exemptions claimed for the system:
    None.

[FR Doc. 06-3000 Filed 3-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-M