On the Media Stars and Stripes in Peril
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Jan 28, 2026 Erik Slavin, Editor-in-Chief of Stars and Stripes and long-time military reporter, discusses the Pentagon’s push to reshape the paper. He describes why local, on-base reporting matters. He warns about blending PR with journalism and recalls investigations that forced policy changes. He explains how honest coverage can actually strengthen troop morale.
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Local Reporting Needs Wire Coverage
- Stars and Stripes pairs on-the-ground military reporting with wire stories to give service members both local and broader news context.
- Removing wire content would shrink the paper's scope and leave gaps reporters can't fill from remote bases.
Reporting Problems Can Boost Morale
- Reporting on problems service members actually face tends to improve morale because it validates lived experience.
- Cheerleading ignores issues; acknowledging and addressing them builds deeper trust.
Regulatory Backstops Protect Independence
- The Code of Federal Regulations provided a legal backstop for Stars and Stripes' editorial independence from the military chain of command.
- Its removal weakens protections and leaves independence vulnerable to internal DoD rule changes.