The Pentagon has recently begn an effort to develop a massive new database to aid in its recruiting efforts. The database will be developed by the private company BeNow in an apparent effort to circumvent laws that restrict the government’s access to citizen information. The Department of Defense’s (DoD) proposal for the database states that a wide variety of records will be stored in the database including social security numbers, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, interest in the military, ethnicity, post-graduation plans, and more. Records will be drawn from individuals responding to recruiting materials, the state Department of Motor Vehicles offices, commercial information brokers/vendors, data obtained through the No Child Left Behind Act, the Selective Service System, and various military sources. The Washington Post reported today that the Pentagon will have the right to share data for numerous uses outside the military without notifying students. Moreover, the database will also track “individuals who have asked to asked to be removed from any future recruitment lists,” but individuals will not be able to opt-out from the database. Privacy advocacy groups have charged that the database violates the Privacy Act of 1972.
While it is unclear if they would actually disclose the information, the DoD’s proposal says that individuals wishing to see what information the military has gathered about them can write to the following address:
The Department of Defense, Defense Human Resources Activity
c/o JAMRS
Direct Marketing Program Officer, Defense Human Resources Activity
4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 200
Arlington, Virginia 22203-1613
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