Pentagon Imposes Restrictive Modernization Plan on Stars and Stripes

The United States Department of Defense issued a modernization memo on March 9, 2026, implementing restrictive content guidelines for Stars and Stripes, the military's independent newspaper. The new policies require all content to be consistent with good order and discipline, a term from the Uniform Code of Military Justice. This requirement has led editor-in-chief Erik Slavin to warn that military staff reporters could face legal jeopardy or court-martial if the Defense Department dislikes their reporting.

The plan prohibits the use of most wire services, including the Associated Press and Reuters, which restricts the paper's ability to cover combat zones in Iran and major sporting events. Additionally, the memo bans comic strips and syndicated features, mandates the publication of official public relations stories, and requires the publication's ombudsman to route congressional communications through the department.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell defended the changes, stating the move refocuses the paper away from woke distractions to better serve the warfighter. These actions follow a pattern of media restrictions under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who previously denied press credentials to media groups that refused to sign a pledge restricting the transmission of unapproved military information. Press freedom advocates, including PEN America, argue these changes undermine the publication's editorial independence and congressional mandate.