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.