Larry King Last Night

[Olaf]

Last night Larry King interviewed a family who's son is a POW (long bow pilot). I don't know why the military hasn't told these people to keep on a lid on it. The last thing you want to give his captors is more information about him. They now know his parents names and other details about his life, and they'll use that when they interrogate him. When my DH deployed to the Gulf he told me never, repeat never speak to the media if he should be captured.

It was also sad to see that other soldier's parents. He's MIA, and my guess is he's one of those soldiers who was shot. They were upset that the military hadn't contacted them. I'm guessing here, but their son probably didn't fill out an emergency data notification card on them. If he didn't do that, then I don't believe they're entitled to what the military considers privilaged information. That sounds awful, but it's just the way the military does business.

 

[AirForceRocks]

His emergency notification data probably has his wife listed. But once the official notification is done for her, there is no reason (and really no excuse) for not including the parents too. That's how the Air Force works - spouse and parents are all included when passing on information.

 

[Olaf]

Since I helped my husband fill out his own Emergency Data card, I'm well aware that there is room for more than one person on that card. Since you are in the Air Force, I'm sure you know how particular the military is with regards to the privacy act.

It may be that the Army doesn't have as streamlined a pocedure for notification.

 

[AirForceRocks]

It may be that the Army doesn't have as streamlined a pocedure for notification.

Then they need to get one. It is inexcusable, IMO, that these parents are being left with second-hand information, either from their DIL or from CNN.

 

[ckr]

But what if the soldier was somehow estranged from his parents and INTENTIONALLY left them off? I'm not saying that is true in this case, but I would think the military would (and should IMO) only contact those that the soldier has given them permission to do so.

 

[Olaf]

That's exactly what I was thinking, but didn't really want to come out and say it. I mean if his wife had given them (the Army) their information, I don't know why they wouldn't have contacted his parents. But, perhaps she (his wife) didn't give them that info. Who knows.

It was just very sad seeing them sitting there on the couch and realizing that their son is probably gone.

 

[Buckalew]

It is as sad to me to thnk that someone's parents were left wondering. Put away your squabbles, IMHO, and let family members know what is happening.
But, as to your post about the info that is being given out about the soldier...yes, that is scary stuff. They could use all of that against him and his mind. What were those family members thinking? I can guess but their soldiers safety should mean more than anything right now. Maybe they just weren't thinking of that.

Too sad.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Since you are in the Air Force, I'm sure you know how particular the military is with regards to the privacy act.

Oops, meant to get back to this earlier, but forgot.

Yes, I'm very familiar with the constraints of the Privacy Act, but releasing information to parents on whether a child is MIA, KIA or POW is not Privacy Act info. If it were, it wouldn't be released to the public either.