U.S. Army Public Affairs Officers and Social Media Training Requirements

Social media platforms have become an effective and efficient method used by U.S. Army organizations to deliver and communicate messages to various audiences. U.S. Army Public Affairs Officers PAOs receive training based on currently established Training Programs of Instruction by the Defense Information School. The use of social media platforms by PAOs is well established, but further research on how adequately PAOs are trained and educated to effectively use social media networks needs to be further explored. The examination of academic curricula used as the basis to train public affairs students, and training and education requirements established within civilian education institutions and private industry serve as the point of departure to compare training requirements and draw conclusions that could potentially become recommendations to improve existing training standards.