[GATOR NAVY]

1. You can sign yourself using correct military titles, but Stars and Stripes will use the AP Style Manual, which is different.

2. I have called on the phone by an editor to verify all of the letters (4 or 5) I have written that have been published.

This is because of an incident that occurred on a ship I was on at the time. Someone wrote a letter to the editor about a recent article on Boy George. The letter writer was raving about Boy George and how great he was (it must have been a slow news day for it even to get published). The letter was signed by a crusty old CWO3 on our ship. I remember reading it at the time and thinking "Wow, CWO X said this?" Well, he hadn't, and the sh*t hit the fan. Stars and Stripes had to publicly apologize, admitted that they did not verify the identity of letter writers and stated they would now verify each letter that they published.

[dsc]

"1. You can sign yourself using correct military titles, but Stars and Stripes will use the AP Style Manual, which is different."

I cannot from memory confirm or refute that, but I have to admit that the possibility exists.

"2. I have called on the phone by an editor to verify all of the letters (4 or 5) I have written that have been published. This is because of an incident that occurred on a ship I was on at the time."

I don't think that's SOP. Sounds like they were making a special effort because they got burned.

"admitted that they did not verify the identity of letter writers"

Okay, well, there you are.

"and stated they would now verify each letter that they published."

I'd be really surprised if they were doing that faithfully.