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 We
are blessed in this country to have the world’s finest military –
service men and woman who answer our nation’s call no matter where or
when they are needed. When countries around the world have needed
someone to advance the causes of freedom and democracy, America’s
military has been there. Yet, often times, it is easy to take our
military for granted – the same certainty that guarantees they will
answer the call for help could sometimes cause us to forget the ongoing sacrifices
that the men and women who wear our country’s uniform and their families
make on a daily basis. And many of us, unless living next to a military
base, are far removed from our all-volunteer military to feel connected
to their daily commitments and hardship. September allows us the
opportunity to recognize two important segments of our military men and
women that have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
This past Friday, September 21, 2007, was dedicated to a unique
segment of our military – Prisoners of War (POW) and Missing in Action
(MIA) soldiers. Designated by the President every year, National POW/MIA
Recognition Day remembers those soldiers that were either captured by
our enemies for a period of time or those that never returned home to
their loved ones, with no record of what happened to them. Our nation’s
POW/MIAs have truly served our country, enduring hardship, torture, and
even death to defend America from threats to its freedom. In the
last hundred years, from the World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and
Iraq, thousands of families have also borne the burden of having their
loved ones taken from them, some still not knowing what
happened to their child, spouse, sibling or parent to this day.
At the end of September, we recognize our Gold Star Mothers on Sunday,
September 30. Gold Star Mother’s Day is a very different holiday than
the Mother’s Day we celebrate in May – this Mother’s Day recognizes the
brave moms across the country that have had their sons or daughters
killed while in service to the United States as a member of the
military. These mothers have endured the ultimate sacrifice their children
have
made for our country, and grieve every day for the children that never
came home because they fought for something larger than themselves.
The POW/MIA black flag, with the silhouette of a captured soldier, was
inspired by the quest of a wife of a MIA Navy pilot from Vietnam who
recognized the need to have a symbol to personify the cause of POW/MIA
families. The organization American Gold Star Mothers was founded by a
World War I mother who lost her son in the skies over France, and felt
the need not only to grieve with other mothers, but to volunteer to help
other soldiers wounded far from home. These stories echo countless
others I have heard over the years of the contributions families of our
nation’s military make on a daily basis by volunteering their time to
help other families in similar circumstances, and by supporting the
troops that are currently around the world defending our country.
These are true heroes – and these days of remembrance in September allow
us not only to honor our brave men and women of our military, but their
families who have given more than one could ever expect from a fellow
citizen. I urge you to take time this September to remember them.
Often, I try to visit one of our veterans cemeteries, like those in
Arlington, Hopewell, Amelia or Suffolk, and never cease to be moved by
the rows of white crosses that stretch as far as the eye can see. Each
day that I am in my Washington office, I walk by the POW/MIA flag that hangs
outside my door, reminding me of those that are still unaccounted for
and whose families have no white cross to visit. It is always easier to
forget, much harder to remember, but for all that they have given, they
deserve for us to take time out of our day and remember what some have
sacrificed in order for us to continue to have so much.
Identity Theft
 More
and more frequently, we hear stories on the news about someone who had
their life uprooted by identity theft. Whether caused by a lost wallet,
an online “phishing” scam, or people searching through discarded mail,
victims of identity theft can suffer years of consequences.
To help combat this common problem, I have prepared a list of questions
and answers on protecting your identity from fraud. I encourage you to save this information to have handy in case you ever suspect
you have become a victim of identity theft.
How can I protect my identity?
1) Protect your purse and wallet and only carry necessary information
with you.
2) Protect your social security number. Don’t carry your social security
card with you and only give out the number when absolutely necessary to
a trusted source. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about how a
trusted source will use the number.
3) Shred or destroy mail with personal information on it before
throwing it away, even at your home.
4) Be careful who you give information to on the Internet. Increased
online access in the US has caused scammers to move online. Don’t
respond to emails that request personal information, even when it looks
like it is from your bank; verify that it is actually your bank
requesting the information first. Make sure your computer is protected
by anti-virus and spyware software and protect your passwords. Only shop
on secure sites, and verify that the store you are buying from actually
exists.
5) Store personal information at home and at work in secure locations –
invest in a locked filing cabinet or safe.
What are the signs of identity theft?
1) Accounts you didn’t open and debits on your accounts you can’t
explain.
2) Inaccurate information on your credit report.
3) Failure to receive your bills. This could mean someone changed your
billing address to prevent fraud detection.
4) Receiving credit cards you didn’t apply for.
5) Being denied credit or being offered less favorable credit terms when
your credit score is relatively good.
6) Getting calls or letters from debt collectors or businesses about
merchandise or services you did not buy.
What can I monitor every month to help me catch identity theft
quickly? 1) Financial statements, like credit card statements. You
should check for inaccuracies or charges you didn’t make
2) Your credit report.
How can I get a copy of my credit report?
A new law requires each of the three major nationwide consumer reporting
companies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to provide you with a free
copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. To do
so, don’t contact the companies directly, but rather request the report
by:
• Visiting
www.annualcreditreport.com;
• Calling 1-877-322-8228; or
• Mailing your request to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
What can I do if I think my identity was stolen?
1) Place a fraud alert on your credit reports by contacting one of the following credit agencies. The agency you contact
is required to contact the other two agencies.
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285;
www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241,
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742);
www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9532,
Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289;
www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790,
Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
2) Close the accounts that you think have been tampered with or opened
fraudulently.
3) File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission using the
online
complaint form; or call the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline, toll-free:
1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338).
4) File a report with your local police or the police in the community
where the identity theft took place.
For more resources on preventing identity theft and steps to take if you
become a victim of identity theft, visit the following sites:
• Preventing ID Theft:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/index.html
• Computer and Internet Fraud Prevention:
http://onguardonline.gov/index.html
• What to do if you are a victim:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/consumers/defend.html
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