Washington, DC Responding to what defense officials have described as a "monumental" loss of personal data that raises concerns about the safety of U.S. military forces, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today took the Bush Administration to task for failing to secure sensitive data and possibly putting our national security at risk. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently announced that a security breach by the VA compromised the personal data of over 26 million veterans and 2.2 million active soldiers.At a press conference in Washington, DC today Senator Reed said: "Well, I was one of the veterans whose information was compromised, initially by the Department of Veterans Affairs. And that was shocking and disturbing. And now I'm even more shocked that there are actually 2.2 million of active duty military personnel, including 80 percent of our active duty soldiers and 430,000 National Guard members and 645,000 Reservists currently on duty with the military forces, whose information has been compromised.Defense officials have already said this loss is unprecedented. It's a major security breach. And it imperils not only the safety of our individual soldiers, the men and women of our armed forces,Marines, Navy, Air Force, National Guards men and women, but it could pose a threat to the overall security of the nation.We have got 130,000 troops in Iraq, other troops in Afghanistan. We should be doing all we can to make sure that they are protected and that they are supported, continued Reed. This incompetence has, once again, put a great stress -- mental stress, I think -- on the forces that are in the field and their families here at home. It's unacceptable. It's something that not only we are shocked about but, frankly, it leaves us to ask the question: What will happen next? What other area will this administration let us down on?In early May, the VA revealed that it had compromised the personal information of over 26 million veterans when a laptop computer containing this data was stolen from the home of a career employee who did not have authorization to have that information in his home.Although VA Secretary Jim Nicholson had testified before both the House of Representatives and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees that this was the only information taken, it was revealed this week that the personal information, including names and addresses, of 2.2 million active duty National Guard and Reserve military personnel had also been stolen. The Bush Administrations dangerous incompetence in handling this situation has only compounded the problem. We have got 130,000 troops in Iraq, other troops in Afghanistan. We should be doing all we can to make sure that they are protected and that they are supported. This incompetence has, once again, put a great stress mental stress, I think -- on the forces that are in the field and their families here at home. It's unacceptable, concluded Reed. It's something that not only we are shocked about but, frankly, it leaves us to ask the question: What will happen next? What other area will this administration let us down on?