VA SURVEILLANCE COSTS SKYROCKET
By Gordon Duff STAFF WRITER
(left: Terrorist suspect confronted by VA police)
Veterans Affairs funds normally earmarked for medical, dental and psychiatric services are now being pushed to fund a "not so secret" investigative department described as "Counter-terrorism and Threat Response" by the DVA.
Millions in treatment funds are buying surveillance technology, rapid response vehicles and communications equipment said to protect VA facilities from terrorist attack.
In actuality, the VA’s new "counter-terrorism" squad is being used to keep track of troublesome patients, veterans activists and potential whistleblowers who threaten the careers of entrenched VA management under constant assault for a long series of claims and health care scandals.
Rather than fixing the problems, the VA is building a fortress, a vitural Maginot Line, meant to maintain the status quo and keep veterans groups, Congress and the public in the dark under the cover of "security" needs. The costs for these programs is staggering.
Surveillance vans purchased by the DVA and outfitted by defense contractors contain, not only eavesdropping and video equipment but biometric scanners and systems to monitor mobile phone or wireless data communications up to 2 miles from any VA facility. A single van can cost over $2 million to equip and hundreds of thousands more to train operators and maintian equipment.
These state of the art systems, like the ones used at the VA Medical Center in Los Angeles, are well beyond those available to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Employees, patients and bystanders are biometrically scanned and "tagged" allowing them to be entered into a Homeland Security database that detects, not only facial features but chemical signatures from skin oils.
Biometric tagging allows terrorist suspects to be followed any time they enter an area with a security system of this kind during their entire life.
An upside is the ability to detect biohazards, weapons and explosive devices. Having these multimillion dollar systems tasked for actual facility protection and not for covert surveillance of veterans activists and employees would greatly enhance the security of these and even more vital federal facilities.
Scanners capable of detecting IED devices up to 250 meters are on the equipment roster of the VA vans, equipment many months from deployment in Afghanistan.
The mobile phone systems, designed originally for maximum security prisons, automatically register the electronic serial number of each phone that enters their range. Phones can then be turned on and tracked anywhere using GPS chips in the phones and, of course, all calls and text messages are intercepted. Phones activated by this system operate as bugging devices and can only be deactivated with removal of the battery.
While some DVA investigators are being borrowed from Homeland Security, the DVA is budgeting for investigators in each region, all trained in covert surveillance and counter-terrorist operations including SWAT.
A key issue involving this significant realignment of funds meant for medical services to security operations are:
- Congress has not authorized the DVA to do surveillance or counter-terrorist operations
- Monies for these programs are being taken from other programs without proper authority
- All capabilities are a duplication of FBI resources, a much better trained and managed service
- Surveillance on patients violates privacy guidelines in HIPA
- Using unauthorized police agencies to conceal information from the GAO and Congress is illegal
- Misappropriating funds for unauthorized purposes is illegal
- Illegal wiretapping and biometric surveillance of veterans undermines trust in the VA system
Veterans Service Organization leaders in California have inspected the vans and are very impressed by their "Star Trek" appearance but have indicated concern about their use and the costs involved.
During a recent meeting in Los Angeles between community leaders and VA officials, the VA initally denied such operations. That became more difficult when it became obvious that, not only had the program been discussed with members of the Miltary Order of Purple Heart but vans, personnel and equipment had been observed and photographed by journalists.
We look forward to the VA’s unveiling of their new Counter-terrorism and Threat Response units and we can’t wait to see them in action, especially against dangerous terrorist threats as depicted in the confrontation above.
Gordon Duff is a Marine combat veteran and regular contributor on political and social issues.
Gordon Duff posted articles on VT from 2008 to 2022. He is a Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War. A disabled veteran, he worked on veterans and POW issues for decades.
Gordon is an accredited diplomat and is generally accepted as one of the top global intelligence specialists. He manages the world’s largest private intelligence organization and regularly consults with governments challenged by security issues.
Duff has traveled extensively, is published around the world, and is a regular guest on TV and radio in more than “several” countries. He is also a trained chef, wine enthusiast, avid motorcyclist, and gunsmith specializing in historical weapons and restoration. Business experience and interests are in energy and defense technology.
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