Good news — The Department of Veteran’s Affairs announced Friday that it had recovered the laptop and hardware that was stolen in May from the home of an employee. And that computer held personal information on more than 26 million active duty military and veterans.

And even better news, VA officials say at first glance it does not appear as though the software on the computer was compromised.

But that said, that doesn’t mean veterans and others whose names may have appeared on that computer can rest easy. In fact, none of us can.

Identity theft is a big deal today, what with so much information readily available on the Internet or through other means.

People involved in this type of criminal activity have been known to dig through a person’s trash in hopes of finding vital information.

And once you are compromised, it is a long road to recovery.

You should check you credit record at least once a year. Look at your credit card bills carefully, and if anything seems out of place, call the card company immediately.

When it comes to identity theft, the only person out there who will look out for you is you.