Defense Secretary Robert Gates is concerned that Defense Department officials have “grown lax” in how they engage members of the media (Can you say, “Rolling Stone-Gen. Stanley McChrystal saga?”). Although McChrystal and his staffers spoke to Rolling Stone through official public affairs channels, Gates has moved to strengthen the Pentagon’s oversight mechanisms for the release of information and seems to be primarily concerned about unauthorized leakers. “We have far too many people talking to the media outside of channels, sometimes providing information which is simply incorrect, out of proper context, unauthorized, or uninformed,” Gates in a July 2 memorandum to his senior defense leadership. Such loose lips, he warns, risk the release of classified information.
Due to the prolonged delay in deliveries of the Tech Refresh 3 version of the F-35 fighter, Denmark is pulling six of its TR-2-configured F-35 jets stationed in the U.S. back to home base in order to consolidate aircraft and get better training for its pilots and maintainers, the Danish…