On Monday, May 22, the Department of Veterans' Affairs announced a security breach in which the names, birthdates, and Social Security numbers of the nation's 26.5 million veterans was stolen.

Although it is not clear that the thieves are planning to use this information, Colorado veterans are encouraged to call Sen. Salazar's office at 202-224-5852 for information on how to protect themselves against data theft.

Veterans are also encouraged to call 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636) or to visit VA's website on this matter at http://www.firstgov.gov/veteransinfo.shtml.

UPDATE: On June 5, the VA sent the following letter to veterans regarding last month's security breach.

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