Public affairs (military)
Encyclopedia
Public Affairs is a term for the formal offices of the branches of the United States Department of Defense
whose purpose is to deal with the media
and community issues. The term is also used for numerous media relations offices that are created by the U.S. military
for more specific limited purposes. Public affairs offices are staffed by a combination of officers
, enlisted personnel
, civilian officials and contract professionals.
Public Affairs offices play a key role in contingency and deployed operations
.
The typical Public Affairs office is led by an officer who is in charge of planning, budgeting for, executing and evaluating the effectiveness of public affairs programs, and provides public affairs advice, counsel and support for commanders and senior staff members.
.
Public Affairs Officers are responsible for preparing information relative to unit participation in military operations, world events, and environmental matters through news releases, special activities, photographs, radio and television, and other informational material. They also review materials such as speeches, news articles, and radio and television shows for security policy
review and integration with the objectives of the military, and determine appropriate topics.
They produce speeches and act as ghost writers for commanders, often completely developing a commander's public persona.
Additionally, Public Affairs Officers oversee the production of base newspapers, magazines, and internal information produced by enlisted Public Affairs specialists television stations
. Broadcasters and photographers are also part of Public Affairs.
At deployed locations, PA personnel perform similar duties that include coordinating media visits (if possible) and writing stories to share with fellow deployed personnel as well as audiences back home, both military and civilian.
consists of active duty
and reserve officers, enlisted personnel, civilians and consultants to provide support for managing the flow of news and information for the military. Public Affairs Officers (PAO) and enlisted members often attend the Defense Information School
(DINFOS) at Ft. Meade, Maryland
prior to their first duty station and for online and instructor-led professional development
coursework and advanced training throughout their careers.
's public affairs community is led by the Chief of Public Affairs. Major General
Stephen Lanza currently holds that position.
Enlisted Public Affairs Specialists is listed as a 46Q
Enlisted Public Affairs Broadcast Specialists listed as a 46R.
public affairs community is led by the Director of Public Affairs within the Division of Public Affairs, Headquarters Marine Corps
. Colonel Bryan F. Salas, is the current acting Director, Public Affairs.
Marines within the Public Affairs community are identified by Military Occupational Specialties (MOS):
public affairs community is led by the Chief of Naval Information (CHINFO) within the U.S. Navy Office of Information. Currently, the CHINFO is Rear Admiral
Dennis J. 'Denny' Moynihan.
Enlisted members of the Navy public affairs community are rated as Mass Communications Specialist
(MC). Officers in Navy public affairs are Restricted Line Officers and hold the Special Duty Officer (Public Affairs) designator 165X.
The annual CHINFO Merit Awards (CMA) Program recognizes outstanding achievements in internal media products produced by Navy commands and individuals.
's public affairs community. Air Force public affairs officers hold the 35P Air Force Specialty Code
(AFSC). The enlisted public affairs AFSCs are 3N0X1 (journalist), 3N0X2 (broadcaster) and 3N0X4 (photographer).
Director of Governmental and Public Affairs. He is responsible for ensuring the Coast Guard provides accurate, timely and strategic information internally to Coast Guard members and externally to the American public, the United States Congress
, other governmental agencies, and the private sector.
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
whose purpose is to deal with the media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
and community issues. The term is also used for numerous media relations offices that are created by the U.S. military
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
for more specific limited purposes. Public affairs offices are staffed by a combination of officers
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
, enlisted personnel
Enlisted rank
An enlisted rank is, in most Militaries, any rank below a commissioned officer or warrant officer. The term can also be inclusive of non-commissioned officers...
, civilian officials and contract professionals.
Public Affairs offices play a key role in contingency and deployed operations
Military operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
.
The typical Public Affairs office is led by an officer who is in charge of planning, budgeting for, executing and evaluating the effectiveness of public affairs programs, and provides public affairs advice, counsel and support for commanders and senior staff members.
Duties and responsibilities
The Public Affairs Officer (PAO) is responsible for developing a working relationship with reporters and other media representatives, maintaining a robust community relations program, keeping contact with other government agencies, and keeping internal and external publics informed on issues that may affect them. Known as "PA's" for short, they are expected to coordinate with the appropriate agencies prior to contacting and releasing information to the media on conditions that might result in favorable or unfavorable public reaction, including releases and public statements involving local, regional and national newsNews
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
.
Public Affairs Officers are responsible for preparing information relative to unit participation in military operations, world events, and environmental matters through news releases, special activities, photographs, radio and television, and other informational material. They also review materials such as speeches, news articles, and radio and television shows for security policy
Security policy
Security policy is a definition of what it means to be secure for a system, organization or other entity. For an organization, it addresses the constraints on behavior of its members as well as constraints imposed on adversaries by mechanisms such as doors, locks, keys and walls...
review and integration with the objectives of the military, and determine appropriate topics.
They produce speeches and act as ghost writers for commanders, often completely developing a commander's public persona.
Additionally, Public Affairs Officers oversee the production of base newspapers, magazines, and internal information produced by enlisted Public Affairs specialists television stations
Television channel
A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and...
. Broadcasters and photographers are also part of Public Affairs.
At deployed locations, PA personnel perform similar duties that include coordinating media visits (if possible) and writing stories to share with fellow deployed personnel as well as audiences back home, both military and civilian.
Training
The Public Affairs community of the United States Armed ForcesArmed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
consists of active duty
Active duty
Active duty refers to a full-time occupation as part of a military force, as opposed to reserve duty.-Pakistan:The Pakistan Armed Forces are one of the largest active service forces in the world with almost 610,000 full time personnel due to the complex and volatile nature of Pakistan's...
and reserve officers, enlisted personnel, civilians and consultants to provide support for managing the flow of news and information for the military. Public Affairs Officers (PAO) and enlisted members often attend the Defense Information School
Defense Information School
The Defense Information School, or DINFOS, is a United States Department of Defense school located at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. Members from all branches of the U.S...
(DINFOS) at Ft. Meade, Maryland
Fort George G. Meade
Fort George G. Meade is a United States Army installation that includes the Defense Information School, the United States Army Field Band, and the headquarters of United States Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, and the Defense Courier Service...
prior to their first duty station and for online and instructor-led professional development
Professional development
Professional development refers to skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. Professional development encompasses all types of facilitated learning opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning...
coursework and advanced training throughout their careers.
Army
The United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's public affairs community is led by the Chief of Public Affairs. Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Stephen Lanza currently holds that position.
Enlisted Public Affairs Specialists is listed as a 46Q
Enlisted Public Affairs Broadcast Specialists listed as a 46R.
Marine Corps
The United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
public affairs community is led by the Director of Public Affairs within the Division of Public Affairs, Headquarters Marine Corps
Headquarters Marine Corps
Headquarters Marine Corps is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions...
. Colonel Bryan F. Salas, is the current acting Director, Public Affairs.
Marines within the Public Affairs community are identified by Military Occupational Specialties (MOS):
Navy
The United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
public affairs community is led by the Chief of Naval Information (CHINFO) within the U.S. Navy Office of Information. Currently, the CHINFO is Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Dennis J. 'Denny' Moynihan.
Enlisted members of the Navy public affairs community are rated as Mass Communications Specialist
Mass Communications Specialist
Mass Communication Specialist is a United States Navy occupational rating.Mass Communication Specialists are concerned with public affairs and visual communication. Their role is to present the US Navy to Naval and civilian audiences, through a variety of media...
(MC). Officers in Navy public affairs are Restricted Line Officers and hold the Special Duty Officer (Public Affairs) designator 165X.
The annual CHINFO Merit Awards (CMA) Program recognizes outstanding achievements in internal media products produced by Navy commands and individuals.
Air Force
The Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs (SAF/PA) serves in the leadership role for the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
's public affairs community. Air Force public affairs officers hold the 35P Air Force Specialty Code
Air Force Specialty Code
The Air Force Specialty Code is an alphanumeric code used by the United States Air Force to identify an Air Force Specialty . Officer AFSCs consist of four characters and enlisted AFSCs consist of five characters. A letter prefix or suffix may be used with an AFSC when more specific identification...
(AFSC). The enlisted public affairs AFSCs are 3N0X1 (journalist), 3N0X2 (broadcaster) and 3N0X4 (photographer).
Coast Guard
Rear Admiral Karl L. Schultz serves as the Coast Guard’sUnited States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
Director of Governmental and Public Affairs. He is responsible for ensuring the Coast Guard provides accurate, timely and strategic information internally to Coast Guard members and externally to the American public, the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, other governmental agencies, and the private sector.
See also
- Enemy ImageEnemy ImageEnemy Image is a 2005 documentary film by Mark Daniels about the portrayal of warfare in television news. The film focuses initially on the Vietnam War as the first war ever televised "live". During this war the American government allowed reporters onto the battlefield with little supervision or...
, a documentary about The Pentagon's approach to news coverage of war - Information warfareInformation warfareThe term Information Warfare is primarily an American concept involving the use and management of information technology in pursuit of a competitive advantage over an opponent...
- Pentagon rapid response operationPentagon rapid response operationThe Pentagon rapid response operation was created in October 2006 by the United States Department of Defense to "quickly respond to news media stories critical of .....
- Public relationsPublic relationsPublic relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
- U.S. Military Television NetworkU.S. Military Television NetworkU.S. Military Television Network is a planned specialty television channel distributed through satellite television and cable television companies....
Further reading
- Operation Hollywood: How the Pentagon Shapes and Censors the Movies, David L. Robb, Prometheus Books, 2004, ISBN 1-59102-182-0