Military Newspaper Stars and Stripes to Refocus on Warfighters
Military newspaper Stars and Stripes will now focus on reporting for warfighters, as announced by the Department of War on Thursday. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated that the publication will no longer cover “gossip” and “woke distractions,” with the aim of bringing it into the 21st century.
The changes are intended to modernize the publication and steer its content towards warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability, and all things military. Parnell emphasized that Stars and Stripes will be tailored to the needs of service members, with a focus on important military topics.
The Pentagon’s plan includes a shift away from “woke distractions” and DC gossip columns, focusing instead on content that serves the warfighters. Stars and Stripes, founded during the Civil War and revived during World War I, receives about half of its funding from the Pentagon to distribute the newspaper to troops worldwide.
While maintaining editorial independence, Stars and Stripes is mandated to operate based on First Amendment principles. The publication’s staff members are considered Department of War employees, but the outlet remains committed to reporting news important to service members.
In response to the Pentagon’s directive, Stars and Stripes Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin assured staff members that the publication would maintain its independence and commitment to accurate and balanced coverage for the benefit of service members.
