An Army lieutenant colonel who accused senior U.S. officials of concealing bad news about the war in Afghanistan will receive the Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling on Wednesday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Lt. Col. Daniel Davis laid out his concerns in “Truth, Lies, and Afghanistan,” published in the February 2012 issue of Armed Forces Journal, a sister publication of the Military Times. In his piece, Davis denounced “rosy official statements” that paint Afghanistan as a picture of progress, and asked military leaders to come clean about the “absence of success on virtually every level.”

The prize, which is given annually and comes with a $10,000 stipend, recognizes “a citizen, corporate or government whistleblower, investigative journalist, or organization for bringing a specific issue of social importance to the public’s attention,” according to the Ridenour Prize website. It is funded by the Nation Institute, which describes itself as a nonprofit media center “established to extend the reach of progressive ideas and strengthen the independent press.”

Davis wrote his four-page essay after returning from a year-long deployment to Afghanistan as part of the Rapid Equipping Force. During his tour, he traveled around the country and talked with hundreds of U.S. and Afghan personnel.

“How many more men must die in support of a mission that is not succeeding and behind an array of more than seven years of optimistic statements by U.S. senior leaders in Afghanistan?” he wrote. “No one expects our leaders to always have a successful plan. But we do expect — and the men who do the living, fighting and dying deserve — to have our leaders tell us the truth about what’s going on.”

Other recipients of this year’s Ridenhour Prizes include civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis and Eileen Foster, who “exposed systemic fraud at the nation’s largest mortgage provider, Countrywide Financial.”

Roman Baca spent two tours of duty in Iraq, the first as a U.S. Marine; the second as a dance teacher with The Mission Continues.

“We were asked why we went back to Iraq; I told them the first time I tried to help with a gun, this time I came back to help with my art,” he said.

Mr. Baca also brings the art of dance to U.S. communities, and his dance company will give a performance May 2 in Bolton.

Mr. Baca's odyssey started in 2000 when he joined the Marines at age 26 after many years spent studying dance and ballet.

“I wanted to serve my country. I needed a direction, balance, and to challenge myself in a new way,” said Mr. Baca of his enlistment.

After his stint was completed, he was called back as a Reserve Marine and served in Iraq with the 25th Marine Regiment in 2005-2006 on combat patrols and providing security in Fallujah, Iraq.

His year in Iraq is forever etched in his memories, and upon his return, he co-founded Exit 12 Dance Company, its mission to educate audiences about the lasting effects of violence and conflict on communities and families, and to advocate for the dignity of all persons despite cultural differences.

In April, Mr. Baca spent 10 days in Iraq as a fellow with The Mission Continues and the Battery Dance Company, teaching 30 young people to express themselves through the art of movement. The Mission Continues is based in St. Louis and provides post-9-11 veterans opportunities to regain purpose in their lives through community service.

“I expected to go to this country with that American can-do attitude, but you have to understand, these young people were born in wartime, that's all they know, and no one encourages them to hope, to hope for a better future,” said Mr. Baca.

The result was a 10-minute dance that expressed the teenagers' fears, insecurities and hope for a better future. The performance was held on a theater stage before an audience of 240 friends and families of the youngsters and representatives of the Iraqi Ministry of Culture. It was a resounding success.

“They gave us flowers and kept asking us when we were going to come back, so we're putting together a program that will hopefully be used in Baghdad,” said Mr. Baca.