Pentagon Fires Three Stars and Stripes Leaders for Alleged Insubordination

The Pentagon issued separation notices on August 21 to Stars and Stripes editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, longtime publisher Max Lederer and Middle East reporter Lara Korte. Slavin said he was accused of insubordination after telling CBS that hypothetical military censorship would be a personal red line; Korte said her notice followed her public statement that she works for Stars and Stripes rather than the Pentagon or any administration. Lederer, publisher since 2007, had already announced plans to retire in September. The Defense Department partly funds the military newspaper, which has a longstanding mandate for editorial independence.