Two advisory board members of the Stars and Stripes military newspaper filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against the Pentagon, challenging the Defense Department's restructuring of the publication.

The plaintiffs allege that the Pentagon's overhaul of Stars and Stripes is undermining the newspaper's editorial independence through what they describe as efforts to "exert unprecedented control" over the news outlet.

The lawsuit asks a federal judge to block the Pentagon's current approach to managing the military publication. Stars and Stripes serves as a news source for U.S. military personnel and has operated with varying degrees of independence from military command structure throughout its history.

The case highlights ongoing tensions between military leadership and media independence within Defense Department publications. The specific details of the Pentagon's restructuring plan and how it affects the newspaper's operations were not detailed in available court filings.

The lawsuit represents the latest development in debates over press freedom within military institutions and the balance between operational security concerns and journalistic independence in military-affiliated publications.