SSN Justification

Defense Threat Reduction Agency
and
United States Strategic Command Center
for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction
8725 John J. Kingman Road, Stop 6201
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6201

April 15, 2014
MEMORANDUM FOR DEFENSE PRIVACY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES OFFICE
SUBJECT: Justification for the Use of the Social Security Number (SSN) – DTRA Forms 150
REF: (a) DoDI 1000.30, Reduction of Social Security Number Use Within DoD of Aug 1, 2012
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is a Department of Defense (DoD) agency that
serves as executive agent for the Nuclear Test Personnel Review (NTPR) Program. The NTPR
Program serves approximately 500,000 military personnel and DoD civilian employees who
participated in U.S. atmospheric nuclear weapons testing (1945-1962), with the occupation forces of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, or were prisoners of war in Japan at the conclusion of World War II.
The NTPR Program assists these military and civilian test participants, supports the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Justice (DOJ) in responding to radiogenic disease
compensation claims, and provides information to authorized organizations responsible for studies
concerning the health effects of ionizing radiation. For DTRA to fulfill this role, it must collect
information from veterans and former DoD civilian employees to uniquely identify them. DTRA
Forms 150 serve as the collection vehicle:
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DTRA Form 150: Nuclear Test Personnel Review Information Request and Release
DTRA Form 150-A: Questionnaire for Continental United States Test Participants
DTRA Form 150-B: Questionnaire for Oceanic Test Participants
DTRA Form 150-C: Questionnaire for Operation Crossroads Test Participants

Authority to collect this information is provided by PL 98-542 which appointed the Defense
Nulcear Agency (now DTRA) Executive Agent for the NTPR Program. Overarching authorities
include: 38 U.S.C. 1112 and 1154 (Veterans’ Benefits); and 42 U.S.C. 2210 (DOJ Radiation
Exposure Compensation Act).
It is DoD policy to reduce or eliminate the use of SSNs wherever possible. However, reference
(a) does allow for thirteen categories of continued use. The continued collection of SSNs, via DTRA
Forms 150, is authorized per category 6, “Administration of Federal Workers’ Compensation.” The
NTPR Program collects and maintains SSNs in order to support two federal workers’ compensation
programs, administered by DOJ and VA. NTPR collection of SSN is documented in:
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System of Record Notice HDTRA 010, Nuclear Test Participants (May 11, 2012, 77 FR
27739):
http://dpclo.defense.gov/Privacy/SORNsIndex/DODComponentArticleView/tabid/7489/Artic
le/6386/hdtra-010.aspx
Privacy Impact Assessment (January 24, 2013): http://www.dtra.mil/docs/documents-eeopolicy/ntrr-pia-public-2013-01-24.pdf?sfvrsn=0

The NTPR Program has initiated an aggressive program to minimize its use of SSNs: