# How does the United States investigate friendly fire incidents?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-united-states-investigate-friendly-fire-incidents/391139
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 6, 2007, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-united-states-investigate-friendly-fire-incidents/391139 "2007-02-06T22:37:51Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2007, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-united-states-investigate-friendly-fire-incidents/391139/1 "2007-02-06T22:37:51Z")

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This [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=407313) asked whether the US is doing enough to prevent friendly fire incidents but – naturally – it soon turned in to a debate. There is no factual answer.

My question is about how much information is made public if American troops are killed by American planes? In this case – and others – the US authorities have refused to co-operate with the British inquest. Until the Sun newspaper got hold of the [cockpit video](http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007060133,00.html) and published it on the web there was a refusal to declassify this key bit of information. What would have happened in the States? Is there any non-military investigation into such a death and, if there is, would all the information be released?

There’s no doubt these things happen, and they are going to go on happening – war is never going to be a safe occupation, my question is purely about how much information is made public.