Anne Curry IDs Pilot on Air

FR ^ | 10/29/01 | Freeper

[snorkeler]

A Freeper reports.. " I just heard Anne Curry, (sp?) of NBC's Today Show give away the full name of one of our F-18 pilots aboard the Theodore Roosvelt in the Arabian sea. She was talking by phone to Matt Laurer (sp?) about operations aboard the carrier, and mentioned speaking to Captain Jeff ****** in charge of the mission. NOt to cool. I'm sure it was inadvertant, but it was his full name."

[snorkeler]

First, I am not a nervous nellie. Trust me on that.

Second. I repeat the question. What is the benefit of IDing servicemen thru the media. If we are dealing with X number of in country terrorists and unconnected terrorist wannabes, who have no access to intel from whatever organization exists, why ever is it a good thing to hand them the name? While I have never worked for a news agency, I could probably come up with an address and phone number if I have the name and home town. Why expose any family to some warpo kid who thinks calling them would be more fun that asking the local smoke shop if they have Prince Albert in a can..or worse?

Just tell me the benifit of giving names. What is the upside?

[KneelBeforeZod]

plenty of pilots still have their name on their plane... "major first last"

Although giving names on the air is dumb and I admit, not the same thing

[Junior]

There is an upside to giving names -- the same one there is to full disclosure of any action by a government -- it breeds trust in the citizenry in their government; a government that appears to have nothing to hide is a government more readily trusted.

As for allowing the release of the CO's last name, it's just common sense. The CO's name appears on just about anything associated with the unit in question (welcome aboard brochure's, autographed pictures, official web sites, etc.), so attempting to hide it at this point would be an exercise in futility and make the government look like total morons (closing the barn door after the horses have escaped, and all that).

The folks on these threads berate the government for its coverups (some legitimate, some just CYA), and in the next breath demand that the government maintain secrecy on stuff that's been in the public domain for years.

[HoweverComma]

There are books available out there that tell you how to find people in the military.

[snorkeler]

By that logic, the names of all spies should be made public as well?