4. PA Mission deployed
IO instead of MR
To help meet the combatant
commander’s IO objectives
NOT just to inform American public and
soldier’s families
(Although this is a byproduct of complete,
accurate, and timely release of
information)
IO is focused outward with an additional
audience
5/12/2009 4
5. METT-T
Mission
Conduct deployed public affairs in order
to meet the combatant commander‟s IO
objectives
Enemy—Audiences
Terrain
Troops Available
Time
5/12/2009 5
8. METT-T
Mission
Enemy—Audiences
Commanders
Soldiers
Media
Coalition public
Afghanistan
The third world and Muslim population
Terrain
Troops Available
Time
5/12/2009 8
10. METT-T
Mission
Enemy—Audiences
Terrain
Bombed out hell hole
Things aint been going well PAOwise
Troops Available
Time
5/12/2009 10
11. Welcome to the war on terrorism story, where journalists have
faced two options: travel solo into a region so lawless and
dangerous that eight journalists were killed over the course of
17 days in November (more fatalities than the U.S. military had
suffered up to that point), or play by the rules of a Pentagon
determined to delay and limit access to the conflict.
Nina Easton, American Journalism Review, March 2002
I think it’s just unspeakable what the military is doing to
journalists in the Afghan conflict. I don’t believe any meaningful
reporting has come out of the U.S. military, vis-à-vis its war in
Afghanistan. None. None!
Christiane Amanpour, Proceedings, April 2002
More so than during any major war in American history,
journalists here have been left to their own devices, left literally
and figuratively to take their chances in freezing cars outside
the protection of the U.S. military cocoon.
Peter Baker, AJR, May 2002
5/12/2009 11
12. METT-T
Mission
Enemy—Audiences
Terrain
Troops Available
10th Mountain Division PAO (-)
314th Press Camp Headquarters (-)
Every non-SOF soldier in Afghanistan
Time
5/12/2009 12
21. Constraints
SAPP
OPSEC
Current and future Ops
“At no time will risk to my soldiers be
outweighed by embedded media”
Can‟t issue written releases
314th PCH is “TACON”
People who don‟t exist
5/12/2009 21
22. OGAs etc.
This is some weird stuff,quot; joked an
Army officer who coordinates air strikes.
quot;Some guy in jeans and a beard comes
up to me and hands me a scrap of paper
with grid coordinates scrawled on it and
says, `Here, go kill this target.' And I go,
`Who are you?' And he says, `Billy.' And
I go, „All right!‟
In truth, requests for close air
support and other protective fire are
meticulously cross-checked with the
entire staff and with units in the field.
5/12/2009 22
23. IPB
Oct
1st Battalion 87th Infantry, 10th Mtn Div to Uzbekistan
Nov-Dec
10th Mtn troops to Mazar E Sharif and Bagram
Marines at Camp Rhino
101st to Kandahar
Jan
314 PCH in Kuwait and at Kandahar and MES
Feb
10th Mtn HQ to Bagram
Anaconda prep
101st from Kandahar to Bagram
March to June
CJTF-Mtn at Bagram/314PCH at Kandahar
5/12/2009 23
31. •SENIOR LEADERS EXFIL NORTH ON RATLINES TO AVOID KK, ZK, TF-64
D-1 TO D
•MAIN BODY REMAINS
•DEPLOY SOME MAIN BODY TO CAVES, UGF
•MOST OF MAIN BODY IN VILLAGES WITH CIVILIANS
TRIGGERS FOR EVICTION OF CIVILIANS
AND MAIN BODY MVMT:
-RAK AASLT EARLY D-DAY
-ZIA SP FROM GARDEZ D-DAY
Sr Ldr
SA 7
SA 7
Sr Ldr
120 mm
SA 7
SA 7
120 mm
OBJ
Remington
LOOKING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH
5/12/2009 31
32. •NLT D-1, CONFIRMED APPROX 400 ENEMY IN SHAHI KHOWT
D-1 TO D
•IMU DEPLOYS TO BP‟S, CONDUCT PCCs, FINAL PREP OF PRE-EMPLACED
& PRE-REGISTERED MORTARS & DShK
•AQ REINFORCEMENTS MOVE IN BEFORE & IMMEDIATELY AFTER AASLT
•SURPRISES: ENEMY FIGHTS IN MTNS VICE EXFILTRATING; ZERO USE OF
MINES, BOOBY TRAPS;
TOWED ARTY IN TRI-CITIES
AQ
DShK
120 mm
AQ
DShK 120 mm 120 mm
SA 7
120 mm
120 mm 120 mm
SA 7
120 mm
120 mm
120 mm 120 mm
120 mm
120 mm
120 mm
OBJ
Remington
LOOKING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH
5/12/2009 32
33. Keys to Success
Speak the cdr's language
they is military so use military
language/MDMP etc.
If they were CEOs, should use
financial language
Stress OPSEC
5/12/2009 33
35. Classified forces and IO
PAG-Don’t say nuttin to nobody
Don’t understand about hiding in
plain sight
Strategic, operational, and political
implications
5/12/2009 35
36. U.S. Forces Kill 5 In An Afghan Raid That Raises
Doubts
By Carlotta Gall with Eric Schmitt, New York Times, May 14, 2002
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, May 13 — American Special
Operations forces killed five people suspected of being fighters for Al
Qaeda or the Taliban and captured 32 others in a night raid in southern
Afghanistan on Sunday, military officials said today.
No Americans were injured in the clash 50 miles north of Kandahar, in
Oruzgan Province. But almost immediately some officials raised doubts
about the operation, and American officials acknowledged that the initial
questioning of those detained brought up no immediate indications that
the captives were Taliban or Qaeda fighters.
quot;So far we haven't found anyone of great interest in this group,quot; a senior
military official said. quot;If they prove not to be bad guys, and were just in
the wrong place at the wrong time, we'll release them.quot;
5/12/2009 36
38. Keys to Success
Use SecDef, ASD-PA, and
Combatant commander news
briefings for your PAG, as the
published PAG will quickly be
overtaken by events
You do not work for higher HQ
PAO
5/12/2009 38
40. Media Relations
Your attitude towards media is
critical
Are you there to hold them at arms
length, do you tolerate them?
Or do you welcome them with
open arms as a combat multiplier
Media are not like snakes, Media is
terrain
5/12/2009 40
45. Embed media
Accept risk—of OPSEC violation
and of a negative story
Put plan to embed in the OPORD
Get commanders on board
Don’t need a big plan, but brief
commanders on what to say and
what to expect
Trust soldiers
Embed ground rules
5/12/2009 45
47. News Conferences:
Ground Rules
Bench or chairs for scribblers
keeps them from creeping up on
you
Keeps briefer's eye contact
Outdoors/HMMWV vs. conf
room/podium
Light Discipline
5/12/2009 47
52. Conclusion
With the proper attitude and TTPs,
PA is a force multiplier
The American Army is good guys
doing good things for a good
reason
Accepting the premise above, to
win the IO war, keep as many
media as possible as close to you
as possible
5/12/2009 52
