Privacy, in its purest sense, is impossible. All of us at one time or another require some good or service from the world. I once mocked a friend who declared he wanted to “drop off the radar” and therefore, not be surveilled by big business, targeted by advertising on the Internet, to cease getting spam mail and email, and not have “Big Brother” know his movements. Exactly, in this totally-connected, iPhone- and Amazon-connected generation, would anyone manage that? From my earliest years, and particularly once I joined the military, I was DNA-catalogued, fingerprinted, listed in voluminous credit bureau and bank records, and school files going back more than 40 years. In almost any setting, we exchange information that is tracked and personally-identified. Retail and ATM transactions, recordings on store surveillance cameras, hospital records, Netflix accounts, school IDs, drivers licenses, and social security numbers are just a few records we all know about. For the last twenty-five years, our daily lives have become an interwoven record of billions of data points, such that a native-born person’s identity is rarely questioned.
What happens when someone dropped out of the “mainstream” and has spent decades in the “fringe” of society? We have hundreds of thousands of homeless people in the United States, many of whom might want to live as many of us do, with jobs, safe conditions, and self-respect. What if you do not have anything that identifies you, as you? No photo identification, no credit card, bank statement, social security card, or birth certificate that can be readily produced. Assuming someone has not been incarcerated, what records can they produce – to get a job, a government id card, or SSN card? The homeless often suffer since many of their belongings may be lost or stolen, and family members may be unwilling to help.
Recently, I was asked about a service I provide, live scan fingerprinting, as to whether it would help get someone assistance in obtaining identification. The person on the other end of the call was reportedly a military veteran who had been homeless for twenty years. And at the urging of a family member, was seeking assistance to start moving his life back in the right direction. Namely, to obtain identification documents to help transition from a homeless shelter.
It begs the question, how does anyone begin to piece your life, in 2023, together? What little I know of government processes, indicate that someone has to show some government-furnished document – an identity card, drivers license, visa, or at minimum some bills that indicate your identity is recognized. In the absence of these, or to begin the process of obtaining identification, a person needs to request a copy of their birth certificate (which may be difficult without “proof” of identity). As a veteran, one’s military records or Veterans Administration medical files should be accessible, but these take some effort to obtain. Organizations that serve specific groups, such as Veteran Service Organizations (American Legion, VFW, DAV, and so forth), the VA, and local community resources may be able to help guide someone to regain identification. However, it often requires someone trustworthy and willing to help. And time and money, to petition agencies and courts, obtain certified records, and more than likely, a willingness to be an agent or advocate for the person seeking his or her “identity”.
I am motivated to help this veteran. As a veteran advocate I follow on social media, Lt Col Scott Mann states in the case of our veterans, “it is up to us”. I have asked the vet I spoke with today to keep my number tucked away. In the meantime, I will do some research to see whether the avenues I consider in this post will help guide this individual forward. If you have any experience in such things, I will welcome your feedback.
Truths, Half-truths, and Sea Stories 