By Greg Hazley
In a press conference carried by CNN, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, appearing with Adm. Mike Mullen, explains the military's media relations rules and clarifies a memo last week released by the Pentagon outlining "consensus recommendations" on how the military should interact with the press.
"It is not a change of policy but a reaffirmation of existing policy that was being followed selectively at best," he said.
A reporter asked, "What rights of free speech does a person in the United States military have?"
Mullen said the rules are not meant to preclude "proper engagement with the press."
"It's important that, one, we don't see the press as the enemy. ...Two, that we don't overreact here. And three, that we do tell our story," said Mullen.
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