Exclusion of the press from the first days of the American invasion of Grenada dramatically brought into focus the fundamental conflict between the military's need for secrecy and the press's need to publish information. From the viewpoint of the press, the decision to exclude reporters from the island until the third day of the invasion denied the American people an independent source of information concerning U.S. activities and policies in Grenada. From the military perspective, the decision not to inform reporters of the invasion insured secrecy and thus the safety of troops sent to evacuate 1,000 American citizens. The response by the military to the media's reaction to their exclusion was the formation of a panel, headed by Major General Winant Sidle, to look at how future military operations would be covered. The panel's report contained recommendations they believed would permit press coverage of future military operations without jeopardizing either security or safety; this report thus contained an implicit criticism of the military's handling of the press during the invasion. The invasion of Grenada was a low point in relations between the U.S. military and the American media, and although the news organizations declined to participate on the panel, General Sidle's able handling of the proceedings placated the press to some extent. The benefit from this experience was the panel's success in bringing together representatives of the military and the news media for a step towards improved understanding by all parties. (Sixty-five notes are included.) (MS)