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Protect your personal information and protect the Air Force

  • Published
  • By Cristie Varvaro
  • AFDW/PA
AIR FORCE DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON --  Handling Personally Identifiable Information is part of an Airman's day-to-day life. If not handled properly, the abuse of such information can pose a threat to the entire Air Force. PII can take the form of a social security number, telephone number, or e-mail address, and is easily attainable. It is imperative for everyone to understand how to properly protect their sensitive information.

PII is defined as information that directly identifies an individual. Failure to protect PII could result in identity theft, which occurs when an individual's personal information is used without prior authorization in an attempt to commit fraud or other crimes.

There are various ways to safeguard against identity theft. Do not leave highly sensitive items such as performance reports, recall rosters, or any document with a social security number in a common area that could result in loss or theft. Additionally, be sure to shred these items as opposed to throwing them in the trash. This will ensure they are disposed of properly. Lastly, the Air Force has mandated and continues to enforce the encryption of PII sent through e-mail. This can be done by clicking the "Sign" and "Encrypt" icons on the toolbar of each e-mail prior to sending highly sensitive information. As a result, both the sender and receiver will be required to enter his or her pin number in order to access the content of the e-mail.

If you discover unauthorized disclosures of PII data, report it immediately to your supervisor and chain of command. The report must include the company and/or organization involved, date of incident, description of the incident, and the number of individuals impacted, including his/her rank.

Everyone is at risk of becoming a victim of identity theft, which is why it is essential to protect PII. The monetary and emotional cost of repairing an individual's identity can be extensive and may require years to recover. Everyone must be vigilant in protecting the privacy rights of others.