The government is spending $145 million to commemorate Australians in World War I but has yet to commission or fund official histories of far more recent conflicts.
That includes Afghanistan, Iraq and even East Timor.
Professor David Horner, co-author of the latest volume of the official history of Australian peacekeeping operations, said the public deserved to learn what their sailors, soldiers and airmen endured on their behalf.
"As we approach the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the First World War ... and the four-year period of commemorating a century of Australian military service, it would be anomalous if the experience of Australia's more recent operations were to remain untold," he said.
"I hope the government might take a positive view of this."
Australian War Memorial director Brendan Nelson agreed.
He said, even if the government decided today to commission and fund official histories for East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq, it would be 10 years before any member of the public read the first page.
"It is our story and it needs to be done," he said.
Defence Minister David Johnston, who launched The Good International Citizen by Prof Horner and Dr John Connor, was sympathetic.
He said it was time to rectify gaps in the list of operations to be covered in remaining volumes, including Australia's largest peacekeeping mission in East Timor.
Senator Johnston said it was almost 13 years since Australian troops deployed to Afghanistan and 11 years since they participated in the invasion of Iraq.
"Australia is still involved in Afghanistan but I believe that some consideration should be given towards starting the process of telling the stories of Australia's involvement in these conflicts," the minister said.
The Good International Citizen - the second to be released of the planned six-volume series - covers peacekeeping operations in Cambodia, Sahara, former Yugoslavia, northern Iraq and Middle East, which started in the period 1991-93.
The full peacekeeping series covers more than 50 missions in 27 conflicts over 60 years, involving 30,000 Australian troops.
Official histories are only official in that their authors are granted access to otherwise restricted government documents.
Judgments in official histories are made by the author, not the government.
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