17.9.13

A VA database administrator mistakenly deleted the materials, which had been uploaded to the VA’s home loan programs online application since mid-March, according to VA spokeswoman Jo Schuda. The incident happened May 24 at the Cleveland VA Regional Office, which according to the office’s website serves 1.1 million Ohio veterans and their dependents. The online application is used by VA staff and the department’s loan partners, including lenders and appraisers.
Among the hundreds of thousands of deleted files were active loan files, appraisal documents and grant documents for veterans and service members who qualify for the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grant, Schuda said. This program helps disabled vets and service members obtain homes that are specially equipped or renovations that accommodate their disabilities, VA’s website states.
Schuda could not say how many veterans and service members are affected, where they live or whether they have or will be contacted. It also isn’t clear to what extent the incident will add delays to VA’s grants and loan process.
Schuda said no personal information was compromised.
Schuda said VA staff are being retrained to prevent the error from occurring again. In addition, the department has hired a contractor to “ensure disaster recovery is effective in the future,” she added, but declined to name the contractor.
Catherine Gromek, spokeswoman for the VA inspector general, said in a statement the office does not have enough information to decide if a review of the incident is warranted.
Gerald Manar, deputy director of national veterans service at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said the loss of the data introduces the prospect of huge delays for veterans who filed applications.
In recent months, VA has drawn fire for its growing benefits claim backlog, which now totals about 860,000, including almost 570,000 more than 125 days old. The agency has instituted 20 hours of overtime a month for its 10,000 claims processing employees through the end of fiscal 2013. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki has vowed to eliminate the backlog by 2015 and replace the paper process with a digital one.

Veterans Affairs Loan

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