TNflyboy, these guys are right on the money. It isn't a massive cover-up, these are private citizens who don't feel the need to disclose their every travel move to the public. The BARR program is absolutely free (although, like many services there are those willing to set it up for money and those willing to pay said money).
As a sidenote, I'm concerned that your best news source for aviation was USAToday. Most guys in this industry aren't getting their news from sources like that. While we often read or watch the reports, it usually involves laughing at poor reporting or being baffled by the misinformation presented by most major newsgroups. The honest truth is that most newsgroups, like the general public, have little to no base knowledge required to understand changes in regulation, policy, etc. Sometimes I feel like we're in the same boat! I'm encouraging you to look for better resources for aviation news. A good place to start would be to ask your fellow aviators what they like to read or where they get their news.