{"id":2539531,"date":"2026-01-16T16:03:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T21:03:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-vows-to-save-iconic-stars-and-stripes-military-newspaper-from-itself-will-bring-back-from-woke-distractions\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T16:05:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T21:05:36","slug":"pentagon-vows-to-save-iconic-stars-and-stripes-military-newspaper-from-itself-will-bring-back-from-woke-distractions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-vows-to-save-iconic-stars-and-stripes-military-newspaper-from-itself-will-bring-back-from-woke-distractions\/","title":{"rendered":"Pentagon Vows to Save Iconic &#8216;Stars and Stripes&#8217; Military Newspaper from Itself, Will Bring Back from &#8216;Woke Distractions&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpentagon-vows-to-save-iconic-stars-and-stripes-military-newspaper-from-itself-will-bring-back-from-woke-distractions%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2539531&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Pentagon announced plans to refocus Stars adn Stripes on its core mission of reporting for service members, saying it will be modernized and stripped of what officials called &#8220;woke distractions&#8221; that hurt morale. Pentagon representative Sean Parnell tweeted the paper will be &#8220;custom tailored to our warfighters,&#8221; concentrating on warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability and other military topics, and eliminating reprints and political or DC gossip coverage.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/drugmaker-merck-will-seek-fda-approval-for-covid-drug-it-claims-slashes-death-risk-by-half\/\" title=\"Drugmaker Merck Will Seek FDA Approval For COVID Drug It Claims Slashes Death Risk By Half\">move prompted pushback<\/a> from the outlet&#8217;s ombudsman, Jacqueline Smith, who emphasized the importance of Stars and Stripes&#8217; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hamas-awards-al-jazeera-for-great-coverage-of-latest-war-with-israel\/\" title=\"Hamas A...ds Al Jazeera for \u2018Great\u2019 Coverage of Latest ... With Israel\">editorial independence<\/a> as the basis of its credibility. Veteran reporter Kevin Baron and others warned the Pentagon&#8217;s asserted editorial control could be illegal: Congress in the 1990s established a legal firewall intended to protect the paper from direct Pentagon interference. Stars and Stripes, with a history dating to the Civil War and a primary audience of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-pentagon-would-rather-fund-troops-abortions-than-their-overseas-living-expenses\/\" title=\"Pentagon prioritizes troops&#039; abortion funding over overseas living costs.\">overseas service members<\/a>, receives about half its budget from the Department of War and its staff are classified as department employees, but its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-cancer-charity-gave-zero-for-research-millions-spent-on-salaries-travel\/\" title=\"Biden Cancer Charity Gave \u2018Zero\u2019 For Research; Millions Spent On Salaries, Travel\">mission statement<\/a> affirms editorial independence and First Amendment principles.<\/p>\n<p>The announcement has sparked a debate over how to balance modernization, morale, and military priorities with legally protected press independence for a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >long-standing military publication<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>The storied military publication Stars and Stripes will be making war on &ldquo;woke,&rdquo; according to the Pentagon.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Department of War is returning Stars &amp; Stripes to its original mission: reporting for our warfighters,&rdquo; Pentagon representative Sean Parnell <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SeanParnellASW\/status\/2011802849903009991?%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2011802849903009991%7Ctwgr%5Ea1de5531f8dea0f097e9deff3dd222ae5274751c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediaite.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D5692444action%3Dedit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">posted on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We are bringing Stars &amp; Stripes into the 21st century. We will modernize its operations, refocus its content away from woke distractions that syphon morale, and adapt it to serve a new generation of service members,&rdquo; the post added.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Stars &amp; Stripes will be custom tailored to our warfighters. It will focus on warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability, and ALL THINGS MILITARY.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The post said content will be overhauled.<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() { \t\t\t\t\tfunction loadScript(src) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst script=document.createElement(\"script\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.src=src; \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.async=true; \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.body.appendChild(script); \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\tfunction findPreviousParagraph(selector, x) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst targetElement=document.querySelector(selector); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!targetElement) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Target element not found.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Get all <\/p>\n<p> elements in order as they appear in the document \t\t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphs=Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\"p\"));  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the index of the last <\/p>\n<p> before the target element \t\t\t\t\t\tlet targetIndex=paragraphs.findIndex(p=> p.compareDocumentPosition(targetElement) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_PRECEDING);  \t\t\t\t\t\tif (targetIndex===-1 || targetIndex <x) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Not enough paragraphs before the target element.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\treturn paragraphs[targetIndex - x]; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Set up IntersectionObserver \t\t\t\t\tfunction observeElement(element) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!element) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst observer=new IntersectionObserver( \t\t\t\t\t\t\t(entries)=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tentries.forEach(entry=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tif (entry.isIntersecting) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log(\"Paragraph is now visible:\", entry.target.textContent.trim()); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tloadScript(\"https:\/\/embed.sendtonews.com\/player3\/embedcode.js?fk=s28Az7AY\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.disconnect(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t}, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t{ threshold: 0.5 } \/\/ Adjust threshold as needed \t\t\t\t\t\t);  \t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.observe(element); \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the 1st paragraph before #stnvideo and observe it \t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphToObserve=findPreviousParagraph(\"#stnvideo\", 2); \t\t\t\t\tobserveElement(paragraphToObserve); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">STATEMENT:<\/p>\n<p>The Department of War is returning Stars &amp; Stripes to its original mission: reporting for our warfighters.<\/p>\n<p>We are bringing Stars &amp; Stripes into the 21st century. We will modernize its operations, refocus its content away from woke distractions that syphon morale,&hellip;<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SeanParnellASW\/status\/2011802849903009991?\">January 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;No more repurposed DC gossip columns; no more Associated Press reprints,&rdquo; the post said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Stars &amp; Stripes has a proud legacy of reporting news that&rsquo;s important to our service members. The Department of War is committed to ensuring the outlet continues to reflect that proud legacy.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Jacqueline Smith, the outlet&rsquo;s ombudsman, meanwhile insisted there is nothing &ldquo;woke&rdquo; about Stars and Stripes.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s very important that Stars and Stripes maintains its editorial independence, which is the basis of its credibility,&rdquo; Smith said, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/politics\/defense-department-says-military-newspaper-stars-and-stripes-must-eliminate-woke-distractions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PBS<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Journalist Kevin Baron also fired back in response to a Stars and Stripes post that said the Pentagon would assume control of editorial content.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">So this is illegal. Stars &amp; Stripes is protected from Pentagon interference by law. I know. I was a Stripes reporter for three years. I&rsquo;m available for comment. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cwaAoTKAqx\">https:\/\/t.co\/cwaAoTKAqx<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Kevin Baron (@DefenseBaron) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DefenseBaron\/status\/2011861621920973126?\">January 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;So this is illegal. Stars &amp; Stripes is protected from Pentagon interference by law. I know. I was a Stripes reporter for three years,&rdquo; he <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DefenseBaron\/status\/2011861621920973126\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">posted on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Stars and Stripes, which has existed in some form since the Civil War era, has published since World War II with its chief audience being service members posted overseas, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/pentagon-stars-and-stripes-less-woke\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CBS<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>About half of its budget comes from the Department of War, and staffers are considered War Department employees.<\/p>\n<p>The mission statement of Stars and Stripes says it is &ldquo;editorially independent of interference from outside its own editorial chain-of-command&rdquo; and that it is &ldquo;governed by the principles of the First Amendment.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Congress sought to create a firewall between military leaders and the publications in the 1990s to limit Pentagon involvement in content decisions.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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