Telling the Navy Story. A Handbook for the Collateral Duty PAO

The Navy is a public trust, and as part of a democratic government, the Navy is obliged to keep the American people informed of its activities. Thus, every Navy command is required to run a public affairs program. These programs play an essential role in maintaining operational readiness be helping to generate public support and to enhance crew morale. Navy public affairs programs are intended to reach various audiences through the use of such media as television, radio, newspaper, magazines, books, movies, and so on. Other ways to reach audiences include speeches and special events. Each public affairs program is designed according to which audiences you want to reach with what messages. These audiences may be internal Navy people and their families, or may be external to the Navy, all or part of American people, or nearby community residents, etc.. Your job as the collateral duty PAO is to ensure that your command has an active public affairs plan that is effective in reaching yours commands audiences.