Submit a Story to Navy.mil:

Public affairs officers, mass communication specialists and Sailors from around the fleet can submit stories for release on Navy.mil by submitting articles through the Defense Media Activity Navy Content Management System (CMS). Stories submitted are for consideration only, and will be vetted by the Navy News Staff. Stories must be approved through your appropriate chain of command/public affairs shop. Contact your local Navy public affairs office for further information on story approvals if you are not already affiliated with a public affairs office with an account.

Submitters will need a CMS account in order to submit stories to the Navy News Staff. Once stories are submitted, the Navy News Staff will ensure that the stories are edited and released in a timely manner. If you do not have an account on CMS and you have been using the external submission site on Navy.mil to submit stories, first contact your public affairs office and then contact the Navy News Staff at marie.tillery@dma.mil or (301) 222-6392 to set up an account. Submit your rank/rate, name, contact information and lead public affairs officer, and the Navy News Staff will set up an account for you.


Tips for Submitting Stories:

  • Format stories by using standard Associated Press Style and the Navy Style Guide
  • Headline:
    • Use title case when writing the headline.
    • Do not use special characters (@, #, $, etc.) in headline.
    • Try not to overuse acronyms.
  • Byline
    • Use "By" in the drop-down menu if the story was written by an individual or individuals.
    • Use "From" in the drop-down menu if the story is a general release from a command.
    • Use "Special" in the drop-down menu if the story is a special release from a command.
    • Spell out the rate of the submitter. For example: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Doe.
    • Include the command following the submitter's name. For example: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Doe, USS JOHN DOE (CVN **) Public Affairs.
  • Dateline
    • Examples of datelines can be found in the AP Style Book. Please note those cities that stand alone and do not require state/countries.
    • All cities and ships must appear in all caps, followed by the state abbreviations (not the postal code abbreviations for states). Examples: USS JOHN DOE, At Sea; WASHINGTON; VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.
    • Use the Navy Style Guide for stand alone Navy-specific cities (such as SAN DIEGO and NORFOLK).
  • Event Date:
    • Ensure you include the date the story event occurred in this field, not the day the story was submitted.
    • Ensure this same event date is reflected in the lead paragraph of the story.
    • Submit as month/day/year -- mm/dd/yyyy.
  • Lead Box
    • Ensure the lead is a news lead and reflects the who, what, when, where and why of the story. Example: Virginia-class submarine USS Texas (SSN 775) returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Aug. 23 after completing a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 4th Fleet Area of Responsibility.
    • Do not use proper names in the lead with the exception of well-known individuals, such as the president of the United States.
    • Ensure the lead appearing in the lead box also appears in the story body pane.
  • Story Body
    • Ensure you include a bridge paragraph, value-added quotes and make sure to spell check your work.
  • Priority of Story
    • From the drop down menu, ensure Breaking, Top, Headline or Local priority is selected to accurately reflect story submission.
  • Themes
    • Select as many themes as are reflected in the story.
  • Photos:
    • Submit high-resolution images (highest resolution JPEG capable for camera type used) with full caption and photo credit information (including full name, rank and duty station) to navyvisualnews@navy.mil. DO NOT RESIZE IMAGERY.
    • Photo VIRINs should be included in the tab entitled "Photo" when you are submitting a story. This ensures that the imagery is linked to the story when it is approved.
  • Related Stories
    • Attach related stories to your submission by searching for previously approved stories. Attach relevant stories that have been posted within a month of your submission.
  • Remember to click "Forward to Navy News Staff" when you are ready to submit. Include any additional information and your contact information in the comments section when you forward the story. Example of comments: 1. No relevant imagery is available to support this story. 2. Uncommon spelling of CS1 John Doe's name is correct. 3. MCPON PAO has approved quotes.