New Delhi: The Pentagon has appointed one of its public affairs officials to head Stars and Stripes, the military newspaper whose independence has come under scrutiny after several high-profile dismissals.
Christian Devine, a former Marine Corps colonel, will serve as acting publisher while continuing his job in the Pentagon’s public affairs office. The dual role has raised questions about the separation between military communications and independent journalism.
“The Pentagon is proud to appoint Chris Devine to serve as acting publisher of Stars and Stripes,” Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said.
The appointment, announced on 13 October, comes less than two months after the dismissal of the newspaper’s longtime publisher, Max D. Lederer Jr., editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and Middle East reporter Lara Korte. The changes are part of the Pentagon’s wider effort to change the newspaper’s focus, operations and coverage.
The appointment has raised a key question about whether Stars and Stripes can remain editorially independent when the official overseeing the military’s public messaging also heads the newspaper. The Pentagon said Devine will protect the paper’s independence while updating its operations.
“As a former Marine Corps colonel and a seasoned public affairs leader, Chris brings unmatched expertise, strategic vision and a commitment to ensuring Stars and Stripes maintains editorial independence while delivering exclusive, mission-focused reporting that directly serves America’s warfighters and their families,” Parnell said.
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Lending ‘strong arm’ to the newspaper
For generations of American service personnel, Stars and Stripes has offered news from beyond the military’s official communications channels. Its reporting serves troops stationed overseas, military families, veterans and Defence Department employees, often covering issues that commercial news organisations may overlook.
Although the Pentagon owns and partly funds the publication, federal regulations and department policy have historically recognised its editorial independence.
The Pentagon has argued that the newspaper needs to return to a sharper military focus.
“The Department of War is returning Stars and Stripes to its original mission: reporting for our warfighters. We are bringing Stars and Stripes into the 21st century. We will modernise its operations, refocus its content away from woke distractions that siphon morale, and adapt it to serve a new generation of service members,” Parnell explained the administration’s plans in January.
The leadership change follows the August dismissals of Lederer, Slavin and Korte after a dispute over their participation in a CBS programme about the Pentagon’s plans to overhaul the newspaper.
Parnell said Devine would provide leadership to modernise Stars and Stripes and strengthen its mission while serving as acting publisher.
“It’s a dynamic media organisation with a prestigious history and purpose, and I hope I can lend a strong arm during the interim to the men and women who continue to contribute to its notable legacy,” said Devine.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)