Guidance on public disclosure of personally identifiable information for certain members of the Armed Forces

(a) Guidance required Not later than March 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall issue or update guidance regarding the public release of personally identifiable information of members of the Armed Forces in administrative announcements made through official public affairs channels, including announcements related to command selections, promotion selections, and board results. (b) Elements The guidance required under subsection (a) shall— (1) establish appropriate safeguards to mitigate security and counterintelligence risks associated with the public disclosure of personally identifiable information; (2) account for the unique risks to members assigned to sensitive, specialized, or high-risk units, including members of special operations forces; (3) provide standards, as appropriate, for the review and approval of information prior to public release; and (4) ensure consistency in the application of such safeguards across the military departments. (c) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary of Defense or the Secretaries of the military departments to determine what information may be publicly released in accordance with applicable law and policy.