A lawsuit has been filed against the Pentagon by two advisory board members of the Stars and Stripes military newspaper, claiming that recent changes imposed by the Department of Defense threaten the publication's editorial independence. The plaintiffs, Susan Dardarian and William Church, assert that the Pentagon is unlawfully censoring the newspaper, which has operated independently since a framework was established in 1994 to ensure a free flow of information. The Pentagon's spokesperson, Sean Parnell, indicated that the changes aim to modernize operations and refocus content, but the lawsuit argues these directives impose unprecedented restrictions on editorial operations. The complaint highlights that the new policies were implemented without input from the newspaper, violating the Administrative Procedures Act and infringing on First Amendment rights. Additionally, the lawsuit references the dismissal of Jacqueline Smith, the ombudsman responsible for overseeing editorial independence, following her criticism of the restrictions. Parnell has dismissed the lawsuit as meritless, asserting the Department's commitment to a modern and mission-focused Stars and Stripes.