Nearing Election Day, Pentagon goes radio silent

With the presidential election less than three weeks away, many civilian and military officials in the Pentagon fearing even a toe-touch in the electrified political pool have gone radio silent.

In recent weeks, several Pentagon officials and public affairs officers have directly cited the proximity of the presidential election when declining to comment to the E-Ring for news stories or in rejecting some requests for interviews.

It’s happening for officials big and small, from members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — who historically tend to avoid the press before the nation is about to decide their next commander-in-chief — to key Obama-appointed policy officials overseeing key areas like Russia or the Middle East that are commanding current headlines. Even practically unknown deputy to the deputy’s deputy-level civil servants are saying, “Maybe, in November.”

One public affairs officer for a senior military officer responded to one recent request by saying the command would be delighted to accommodate the request. Just not right now.

“Give us a call in about six months or so,” the officer said.

One official who recently left the Pentagon said the radio silence doesn’t come as much of a surprise just weeks before a presidential election. “Everybody is in wait-and-see and do-no-harm mode,” the former official said.

The water cooler wisdom frequently heard in the building is that the White House is behind the lockdown, taping shut the mouths of the military or political appointees with the force of a strategic messaging juggernaut.

The reality, according to senior defense and military officials, is not that coordinated or deliberate.

“There’s been no order from the White House to stop interaction with the press. There’s been no order at all,” said one senior defense official. But the official acknowledged there is a skittish air about the building, which the official called “a temporary culture” as political tensions increase. “Some of this is to be expected.”

Some civilian appointees, from the level of deputy assistant secretary of defense on up, seem to have taken it upon themselves to quiet down during the “silly season” before Election Day, the official said, but that’s a personal choice not policy.

On the uniformed side, there’s a quicker sense to defend and explain a sense among officers to zip their lips when politics permeates the room.

“I do strongly believe that military leaders must stay out of politics, not just during election season but always. If you’re sensing anything at all, I think it is just that: individuals exercising prudence during a hyper-charged time,” said one military official.

“There has been no direction from anywhere in the chain of command — and certainly not from the White House — to limit public speaking or commentary in pre-election days,” said the official, who is in a position to know.  “Frankly, I think the expectation from our leaders remains what it has always been:  that we will continue to meet our obligations to inform the American people of what we are doing and how we are doing it.”

The official noted that military officials continue to appear in public forums and give speeches, even if they’re not talking directly to the press — but that their more important role is far from the cameras.

“Our job is to do the nation’s bidding. We advise our civilian leaders, privately, and then we execute whatever decisions they make. That’s the way it’s supposed to work.  It is neither healthy for the republic nor befitting the uniform we wear to involve ourselves in political concerns. I cannot think of a more dangerous course for us to steer.”

There are some things Pentagon officials out of uniform appear to have been cleared to push. On Wednesday, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus gave a rousing defense of his initiative, which has the potential to spend billions on a suite of Navy energy initiatives, including renewables. It’s a program that the White House strongly backs and over which it is facing a post-election battle with conservatives in Congress, who have added language blocking such funding in defense spending bills yet to be finalized this year.

On Thursday, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta appeared in the briefing room to introduce a new program helping military personnel gain consumer loan protections, alongside Holly Petraeus, wife of CIA Director David Petraeus. And on Friday, the aptly-timed annual Military Reporters & Editors conference features an appearance by Gen. Ray Odierno, chief of staff in the Army.

Next week, Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey are scheduled to hold a joint press briefing in the Pentagon, the senior defense official confirmed.

Following that, the public can expect to hear from Pentagon officials more often, the official said. After the election.

Gordon Lubold contributed to this report.