# Presentation: 025238

## Public Affairs

- Capt Frank Geraty
- Director of Public Affairs and Marketing
- California Wing, Civil Air Patrol
- United States Air Force Auxiliary
- _[frank.geraty@cawg.cap.gov](mailto:frank.geraty@cawg.cap.gov)_
- 818 531-8134 (cell)

**Public Affairs**

## CAWG Conference 2006  Public Affairs Seminar

-  PA overview
- Open Deputy positions
- Press release efforts and challenges
- Chris Storey, PA of the year
- Chris’s templates and projects
- Questions * Comments * Suggestions

## “With public sentiment nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed. He who molds public opinion goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces decisions.” 					     - Abraham Lincoln

## Public Affairs

- Director of Public Affairs and Marketing
- California Wing, Civil Air Patrol
- United States Air Force Auxiliary

**Public Affairs**

## What is Public Affairs and What Do They Do?

- Public affairs officers tell the CAP story to both the public and CAP members.
- They must understand how CAP fits into the local community.
- Public affairs could very well be explained as covering tomorrows history today.

**What is Public Affairs and What Do They Do?**

## Public Affairs

*Every* CAP member is charged with personal responsibility to be a public affairs representative
- Appointed public affairs officers carry additional responsibility as *the official spokesperson for the unit and the commander*

## C cubed (Command, Control, Communicate)

- When communication is good, cooperation, teamwork, and consensus enables successful outcomes.

**C cubed (****C****ommand, ****C****ontrol, ****C****ommunicate)**

## Advisor to squadron commander regarding all public affairs matters
Advisor on CAP and USAF protocols concerning dignitaries, flag presentation, music selection, ceremonies, and other official gathering customs and traditions
Responsible for effective program of publicity on squadron activities and acknowledgements 
Internal and external squadron communication and acknowledgement of member achievement is vital to good leadership and morale
Encouraging the PA to “get the word out” ensures command initiatives get communicated

**Advisor on CAP and USAF protocols concerning dignitaries, flag presentation, music selection, ceremonies, and other official gathering customs and traditions**
**Responsible for effective program of publicity on squadron activities and acknowledgements**
- Internal and external squadron communication and acknowledgement of member achievement is vital to good leadership and morale
- Encouraging the PA to “get the word out” ensures command initiatives get communicated

**Public Affairs**

## 
Delegate “A Pat On The Back”
Ensures your program gets done
Takes the load off of your plate
Where follow-up would normally take place anyway
Generate a process that  takes only review instead of time consuming action on your part.

Old News is No News At All
Delegate as much communication to the PA as possible
Give PA the responsibility to broadcast your information to the rest of the squadron
Getting the word out your way, before it is too late, is the way to go

**Delegate “A Pat On The Back”**
- Ensures your program gets done
- Takes the load off of your plate
- Where follow-up would normally take place anyway
- Generate a process that  takes only review instead of time consuming action on your part.
**Old News is No News At All**
- Delegate as much communication to the PA as possible
- Give PA the responsibility to broadcast your information to the rest of the squadron
- Getting the word out your way, before it is too late, is the way to go

**Public Affairs**

## The Telephone Game
If you limit your spokespersons to a very few, your message will more often than not be clear and accurate. 
The Trap
A good working relationship with your PA, who does an excellent job of communicating for you, can be a trap
Squadron members need one-on-one contact from their commander, too
Make sure you only delegate broad messages and those that are best served by a spokesperson

- If you limit your spokespersons to a very few, your message will more often than not be clear and accurate.
**The Trap**
- A good working relationship with your PA, who does an excellent job of communicating for you, can be a trap
- Squadron members need one-on-one contact from their commander, too
- Make sure you only delegate broad messages and those that are best served by a spokesperson

**Public Affairs**

## Advisor
Assistant
Liaison
Representative
Official spokesperson
Presenter
Master of Ceremonies
Publicist
Newsletter and/or Website editor
Communicator
Responder
Champion

**Assistant**
**Liaison**
**Representative**
**Official spokesperson**
**Presenter**
**Master of Ceremonies**
**Publicist**
**Newsletter and/or Website editor**
**Communicator**
**Responder**
**Champion**

**The Many Uses and Titles****of Public Affairs Officers**

## Responsible
Intelligent
Trustworthy
Experienced
Knowledgeable
Self-starter
Self-finisher
Committed

**Intelligent**
**Trustworthy**
**Experienced**
**Knowledgeable**
**Self-starter**
**Self-finisher**
**Committed**

**At ease speaking  in front of groups**
**Well groomed**
**Personable**
**Outgoing**
**Computer literate**
**Good writing skills**
**Good communicator**

**Attributes**

## Spokesperson who communicates to squadron members and outside entities.
Advisor on communication avenues of opportunity
Advisor on CAP standards, customs and courtesies
Champion of the commander’s initiatives and programs
Assistant to the commander  for event planning

- Advisor on communication avenues of opportunity
- Advisor on CAP standards, customs and courtesies
- Champion of the commander’s initiatives and programs
- Assistant to the commander  for event planning

**The Squadron PA Officer offers the Commander...**

**Summary**

## “With public sentiment nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed. He who molds public opinion goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces decisions.” 					     - Abraham Lincoln