Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 5410.16
July 31, 2015
ATSD(PA)
SUBJECT: DoD Assistance to Non-Government, Entertainment-Oriented Media Productions
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This instruction reissues DoD Instruction 5410.16 (Reference (a), in accordance
with the authority in DoD Directive 5122.05 (Reference (b)), to establish policy, assign
responsibilities, and prescribe procedures for DoD assistance to non-Government entertainment
media productions such as feature motion pictures, episodic television programs, documentaries,
and electronic games.
2. APPLICABILITY. This instruction:
a. Applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff and the Joint Staff, the combatant commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the
Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other
organizational entities within the Department of Defense (referred to collectively in this
instruction as the “DoD Components”).
b. Does not apply to productions that are intended to inform the public of fast-breaking or
developing news stories.
3. POLICY. It is DoD policy that:
a. DoD assistance may be provided to an entertainment media production, to include
fictional portrayals, when cooperation of the producers with the Department of Defense benefits
the DoD, or when such cooperation would be in the best interest of the Nation based on whether
the production:
(1) Presents a reasonably realistic depiction of the Military Services and the DoD,
including Service members, civilian personnel, events, missions, assets, and policies;
