Public Affairs Doctrine

The Pentagon has updated its official doctrine for managing Defense Department public affairs activities.

The Aug. 25 Joint Publication 3-61 includes a summary of the changes made to the May 9, 2005, edition. The new version:

• Updates the mission of joint public affairs (PA) to better reflect its contribution to joint operations; Amends the responsibilities for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs;
• Adds an overview of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Joint Communication responsibilities;
• Incorporates an overview of the Defense Media Activity responsibilities;
• Adopts the term media operations center to represent any type of media support facility instead of joint information bureau or combined press information center;
• Adds a discussion of the Joint Public Affairs Support Element throughout the document;
• Discusses capabilities of “visual information” in support of the joint force commander's operational and planning requirements;
• Adds a discussion of joint PA in domestic operations;
• Introduces the term “community engagement” replacing the term "community relations";
• Addresses “strategic communication,” its principles, and how it relates to PA;
• Adds new appendix describing development and execution of the commander’s communications strategy;
• Establishes the new terms and definitions for inclusion in Joint Publication (JP) 1-02 for community engagement, joint PA support element, and media operations center;
• Modifies the terms and/or definitions in JP 1-02 for American Forces Radio and Television Service, combat camera, command information, external audience, internal audience, message, PA, public affairs guidance, public diplomacy, public information, security review, and visual information; [and]
• Removes the terms and definitions from JP 1-02 for combat visual information, community relations, community relations program, joint information bureau, and PA ground rules.

"Propaganda has no place in DOD PA programs," the doctrine document states. "Effective application of the PA tenets normally results in more effective and efficient execution of PA operations and relationships with the media. They complement the DOD principles of information and describe best practices. The tenets should be reviewed and appropriately applied during all stages of joint operation planning and execution."

The document also lists six tenets:

• Tell the Truth. JFC’s PA personnel will release only accurate information of officially released information.
• Provide Timely Information and Imagery. Commanders should be prepared to release timely, factual, coordinated, and approved information and imagery about military operations.
• Practice Security at the Source. All DOD personnel and DOD contractors are responsible for safeguarding sensitive information.
• Provide Consistent Information at All Levels. The public often receives simultaneous information from a variety of official DOD sources at various levels.
• Tell the DOD Story. Although commanders designate only military personnel or DOD civilian employees as official spokespersons, they should educate and encourage all their military, civilian employees, and contractors to tell the DOD story by providing them with timely information that is appropriate for public release.

Inside the Pentagon reported in August that the Defense Business Board in July had recommended merging Joint Staff and OSD functions for public affairs, legislative affairs, legal affairs, personnel oversight and cable services responsible for delivering messages. The board also advocated reducing duplication and overlap in the Joint Staff's J-8 force structure, resources, and assessment directorate and OSD's cost assessment and program evaluation (CAPE) shop as well as the Joint Requirements Oversight Council and the Pentagon's acquisition directorate.

A DOD source told ITP at the time that "back office" functions like public affairs and legal affairs could presumably be joined while preserving the independent advisory role of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.