Defense Visual Information Distribution Service

Digital Visual Information Distribution System (DVIDS)
DVIDS logo
Active22 years
CountryUnited States of America
BranchWar Media Activity
TypeMultimedia and Information
RoleMedia and public relations
Part ofUS Department of War
Commanders
DoD DVIDS Program ManagerScott M Betts

The Digital Visual Information Distribution System (DVIDS), formerly the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System, is an operation supported by the War Media Activity (DMA). It provides a connection between world media and the American military personnel serving at home and abroad. It supports all branches of the U.S. military and combatant commands worldwide.

Operations

A network of portable Ku-band satellite transmitters and IP video encoders connected to its 24/7 Cloud Network Operations Center, feed DVIDS with PR and combat content, including live video feeds. DVIDS broadcasts videos, photographs, podcasts, audio, webcasts, interviews, and print products (e.g., publications).

The service currently uses cloud computing technologies for infrastructure as a service. It operates WARTV, a military television over the top box app accessed through appletv FireTV, Chromecast or Roku, and offers the Military 24/7 mobile app, which delivers news, video, and photos supplied directly by deployed service members. It maintains the DOW archive for worldwide operations.

Scott M Betts leads the Department of War DVIDS program via War Media Activity, at Fort Meade, Maryland.

Command Master Chief Nancy Estrada speaking at an LGBT Pride Month celebration, in a photo now removed from the DVIDS website

In 2025, DVIDS took down all "news and feature articles, photos, and videos that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)." A previous mass removal was done in 2021 to protect Afghans.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Is DVIDS run by the military? - FAQ". DVIDS. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  2. ↑ "dvidshub". YouTube. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  3. ↑ "The Red Bull Express, newsletter of the 34th Infantry Division" (PDF). static.dvidshub.net. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-12-16. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  4. ↑ "Round-Up" (PDF). Newsletter of US Regional Command Southwest, Afghanistan. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-23. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  5. ↑ "About DVIDS". DVIDS. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  6. ↑ "DVIDS - DefenseTV". DVIDS. Archived from the original on 2023-11-18. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  7. ↑ "DVIDS Extends U.S. Military News & Information App 'DefenseTV' to Amazon Fire TV", CHIPS, Department of the Navy magazine, 10 April 2015
  8. ↑ "DVIDS - Military 24/7". DVIDS. Retrieved 2026-01-11.
  9. ↑ Personnel[dead link], DVIDS website
  10. ↑ Mitchell, Billy (2025-02-27). "DOD leadership orders components to scrub DEI content across websites, social media". DefenseScoop. Retrieved 2025-03-07.
  11. ↑ "War heroes and military firsts are among 26,000 images flagged for removal in Pentagon's DEI purge". AP News. 2025-03-07. Retrieved 2025-03-15.
  12. ↑ "Pentagon Releases Digital Content Refresh Memorandum". U.S. Department of Defense. 2025-02-27.
  13. ↑ Mike, Glenn (2021-11-01). "Pentagon deletes Afghan war photos from Defense Department website". The Washington Times.