SUBJ: COAST GUARD PUBLIC AFFAIRS STANDARDIZATION CONFERENCE RESULTS

A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 222007Z DEC 08/ALCOAST 614/08

1. ON APRIL 24 THE HEADQUARTERS OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

COMDT(CG-0922) CONCLUDED THE FIRST COAST GUARD PUBLIC AFFAIRS

STANDARDIZATION CONFERENCE DETAILED IN REF A. THE WEEK LONG

CONFERENCE WAS HELD TO MEET THE NEED FOR INCREASED STANDARDS,

REQUIREMENTS, GUIDANCE, TACTICS TECHNIQUES PROCEDURES AND PRODUCT

DEVELOPMENT IN THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS (PA) PROGRAM.  EACH OF THE

PARTICIPANTS WAS PART OF A WORKING GROUP THAT FOCUSED ITS EFFORTS

ON KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDING OPERATIONS,

ADMINISTRATION, TRAINING, MEDIA RELATIONS, COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND

SOCIAL MEDIA.

2. THE WORK GROUPS CREATED JOB AIDS, TOOLS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR

IMMEDIATE USE IN THE FIELD AS WELL AS DRAFTS OF GUIDANCE AND

PROCESSES THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED INTO POLICIES AND STANDARD

OPERATING PROCEDURES.  SOME OF THE PRODUCTS DEVELOPED INCLUDE:

CRITICAL INCIDENT PA OBJECTIVES, RESPONSE TIME PROGRAM STANDARDS

AND DEPLOYABLE PA FORCE DAILY STATUS TRACKING, PA CRITICAL INCIDENT

DEPLOYMENT READINESS REQUIREMENTS, TRAINING MATERIALS FOR NEWS

WRITING, INTERVIEW PREPARATION AND BASIC MEDIA RELATIONS, PA UNIT

TRAINING, PERSONNEL QUALIFICATION STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS

OFFICERS (PAO), ASSISTANT PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICERS (APAO), PUBLIC

AFFAIRS DETACHMENT SUPERVISOR AND DUTY PA, MEDIA RELATIONS WATCH

STANDER PERFORMANCE QUALIFICATION GUIDE, A SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK, A

COMMUNITY RELATIONS TOOLKIT, STANDARDIZED SPEAKERS BUREAU PROGRAM

AND ENGAGEMENT PLAN, PA BUSINESS MODEL METRICS AND PA BUDGET MODEL.

3. THE PRODUCTS DEVELOPED HAVE BEEN POSTED ON THE COAST GUARD

PUBLIC AFFAIRS STANDARDIZATION PORTAL. PAOS, APAOS AND SENIOR PAS

WILL BE GIVEN ACCESS TO THE PORTAL TO DOWNLOAD, USE, REVIEW AND

UPDATE THE PRODUCTS. WE REQUEST AREA/DISTRICT/HEADQUARTERS UNIT

PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICES CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND PARTICIPATE

IN THIS EFFORT AS ABLE SO THAT THE RESULTING GUIDANCE, STANDARDS

AND TOOLS ARE AS USEFUL AS POSSIBLE TO THE FIELD.

4. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE AREAS/DISTRICTS, THE DEPLOYABLE

OPERATIONS GROUP/NATIONAL STRIKE FORCE, THE COAST GUARD ACADEMY AND

THE COAST GUARD AUXILIARY FOR SUPPORTING THE FUTURE OF THE PUBLIC

AFFAIRS PROGRAM BY ALLOWING THEIR PA SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO

ATTEND THE CONFERENCE.  THE NEED FOR STANDARD PROCEDURES, POLICIES,

EQUIPMENT, AND TRAINING IS CRUCIAL FOR PROGRAMATIC SUCCESS.  THE

JOB AIDS, GUIDANCE AND BEST PRACTICES ESTABLISHED WILL FORM THE

NEXT LEVEL OF IMPROVEMENT FOR A WORLD CLASS PA PROGRAM AND WILL

ALLOW HIGHER LEVELS OF EFFICIENCY AND CONSISTENCY.  I REALIZE

GIVING UP KEY STAFF FOR A WEEK IMPACTED YOUR OPERATIONS AND I WANT

TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE COAST GUARDS PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MISSION.

5. QUESTIONS BY CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO CWO3

ADAM WINE AT (202) 372-4638 OR ADAM.M.WINE(AT)USCG.MIL.  QUESTIONS

ON THE COAST GUARD PUBLIC AFFAIRS STANDARDIZATION PLAN SHOULD BE

DIRECTED TO CDR RON LABREC AT (202) 372-4627 OR RONALD.A.LABREC(AT)

USCG.MIL.

6. RDML MARY E. LANDRY, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENTAL AND PUBLIC

AFFAIRS, SENDS.

7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.