Federal Executive Branch agencies (federal agencies), including the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Defense Health Agency (DHA) as a component of the DOD, collect a variety of personally identifiable information (PII) to conduct business. The Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, (Privacy Act) generally applies when Federal agencies incorporate collected PII into a system of records. 

When DHA collects PII and incorporates it into a system of records, individuals may have certain rights. For example, individuals may have a right to:

• Find out what PII about the individual is stored in the system;
• Find out why DHA collected that PII;
• Find out when DHA will use and share that PII; and
• Amend that PII if it is wrong.

The DHA Privacy and Civil Liberties Office (Privacy Office) helps ensure DHA compliance with the Privacy Act and related implementing guidance. For example, the DHA Privacy Office handles DHA Privacy Act related questions and reviews DHA systems to determine if they comply with the Privacy Act.