Foolscap and Favored Sons - NYTimes

[Cassandra]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/23/opinion/23alex.html

"Timing aside, the disappearance of Mr. Bush's service records is important for reasons that go beyond mere politics. Military records are a cornerstone of a nation's archival history. Buried among the lost papers are the records of other men, in whom other researchers at another time might be interested, whose simple facts of service might contribute to the building of a larger historical picture that could clarify the stories spun by the politics of the time.

Clearly the Department of Defense needs to raise the standard of its record-keeping. Perhaps future records should be kept on foolscap paper tied with ribbon: these seem to last for centuries."

Nice editorial about military records and the interesting things you can find there.