BOSTON - The former cybersecurity chief of VA.gov has raised concerns about the security of millions of veterans' sensitive data following his termination amid broader government restructuring efforts [1][3].

Jonathan Kamens, who was fired on February 14, 2025, as part of widespread cuts affecting the U.S. Digital Service (USDS), warns that VA.gov's security oversight may be compromised. The website handles sensitive health and financial information for millions of veterans monthly [1].

The Department of Veterans Affairs spokesperson Peter Kasperowicz countered these concerns, stating that the loss of a single employee would not impact operations, citing the department's workforce of nearly 470,000, including hundreds of cybersecurity workers [3].

The restructuring falls under the purview of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by presidential adviser Elon Musk. Following Kamens's dismissal, over 20 civil service employees resigned from DOGE on February 26, citing concerns about the 'dismantling of critical public services' [1][2].

Kamens, who was the only government employee with an engineering technical background working on VA.gov's cybersecurity, highlighted specific concerns about data access protocols. He noted that while he underwent background checks and drug testing to access veterans' data, similar requirements haven't been established for DOGE personnel [4].

The former security chief also expressed concerns about DOGE's apparent moves toward data centralization, warning that dismantling current agency-specific data isolation could increase security risks [1][6].