Yesterday's Baltimore Sun has a fascinating article on the Army's policy of keeping Silver Star award citations away from the public.  These citations provide narratives of a soldier's actions at the time he/she earned the medal in combat.  As the Sun writes:

Army lawyers and bureaucrats have blocked requests by The Sun and others to open these war stories to the public. They cite, among other reasons, potential threats to soldiers' privacy and safety.

Army Capt. Sean McQuade calls such arguments "absurd." As a lieutenant, McQuade led the platoon that fought Habib Jan. He and two of his soldiers were awarded Silver Stars for heroism in that fight. He is proud of their stories and wants them known.

"Their story needs to be told," he said, "but it's not."


According to the story, in six years of war about 350 men and women have received the Silver Star.  As a result of these stories remaining hidden a Colorado congressman is sponsoring legislation to create a public database of military valor awards.  Rep. John Salazar announced his Military Valor Roll of Honor Act of 2007 in this October press release:

The Military Valor Roll of Honor Act of 2007 requires the Department of Defense to establish a searchable database containing the names and citations of members of the Armed Forces who have been awarded our nations highest military honors.  Currently no comprehensive database exists for these records.


Perhaps Salazar's congressional position will bring these stories to light, but if the Baltimore Sun's attempts are any indication there's a strong will in the Pentagon to keep them private.

The Army denied a March 2006 Freedom of Information Act request for the narratives, first on the grounds that it couldn't find all of them.

Next, Army lawyers argued that releasing the narratives "could subject the soldier and family to increased personal risk." But the Army and the Defense Department already publicize the names, photos and hometowns of medal recipients.

The lawyers also argued that disclosure would discourage officers in the future from writing detailed battle accounts.

The Sun appealed the Army's decision to withhold the narratives in December 2006, and is still awaiting a decision.

Both sides in the matter have valid points.  How do we honor these soldiers' heroic actions without jeopardizing their privacy?  An interesting question whose answer doesn't seem like it will come any time soon.