Pentagon appoints its own public affairs executive as acting Stars and Stripes publisher
- Pentagon taps its own public affairs exec, Christian Devine, as acting publisher of Stars and Stripes—because who better to guard editorial independence than the guy spinning the news?
- Devine will juggle his current Pentagon PR gig with running the paper, a real 'two birds, one stone' approach to controlling the message.
- Top brass openly vows to strip out 'woke distractions' and 'DC gossip,' promising a lean, mean, war-fighting content machine—just like you always wanted in your morning coffee.
- The recent axe-wielding at Stripes—firing the editor, publisher, and a reporter over a CBS segment—has already sparked a First Amendment lawsuit that's going about as well as a snowball's chance in the Pentagon parking lot.
- The Pentagon funds half the budget, so 'independence' is now officially defined as 'you'll print what we say and like it.'
Brief Summary
In a move that redefines irony, the Pentagon has appointed Christian Devine—a career public affairs flack currently serving as the executive director of the Pentagon's own PR office—as the acting publisher of Stars and Stripes, the military's once-storied 'independent' newspaper. Devine will split his time between spinning for the brass and overseeing the paper's content, a logistical feat only possible when the publisher and the source are wearing the same jersey.
This 'interim' appointment is the latest salvo in the Department of War's (yes, that's what they're calling it now) ongoing campaign to 'modernize' Stripes, which has already seen the firing of the publisher, editor-in-chief, and a reporter, allegedly for cooperating with a CBS News segment. The message is clear: 'Independent' now means reporting on weapons systems, fitness, and lethality, while steering clear of anything resembling journalism. If you're a service member hoping for a balanced take on the world, you might want to stick to TikTok.
Why This Matters
For the average reader, this isn't just a bureaucratic reshuffle; it's a vivid reminder that when the government pays the piper, it will eventually call the tune. Stars and Stripes has long been a lifeline for troops abroad, offering a semblance of independent news from home—but this appointment signals a full-blown takeover by the very institution the paper is supposed to hold accountable. The loss of 'woke distractions' and 'DC gossip' might sound like a win to some, but it's really the death knell for critical reporting, leaving service members with a diet of officially sanctioned fluff.
For civilians, it's a case study in the slow erosion of press independence, wearing combat boots and a Pentagon lanyard. If you value oversight of the military, this is a red flag that the watchdogs are being replaced by lapdogs. The lawsuit from the fired journalists may be the only thread holding back a total media blackout, but with a judge already denying their injunction, the odds are about as favorable as a grunt arguing with a general. Your tax dollars are now funding a newspaper that will tell you what you already know, and nothing more.