Post on 14-Jan-2015
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At War in Afghanistan:The Military and the Media
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BLUF
Public Affairs can help
win or lose wars—
success results from
the actions of
commanders and their
PAOs
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Introduction LTC Bryan Hilferty, 10th Mtn
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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
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METT-T
Mission
Conduct deployed public affairs in order
to meet the combatant commander‟s IO
objectives
Enemy—Audiences
Terrain
Troops Available
Time
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Mission
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Mission
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METT-T
Mission
Enemy—Audiences
Commanders
Soldiers
Media
Coalition public
Afghanistan
The third world and Muslim population
Terrain
Troops Available
Time
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METT-T
Mission
Enemy—Audiences
Terrain
Bombed out hell hole
Things aint been going well PAOwise
Troops Available
Time
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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
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METT-T
Mission
Enemy—Audiences
Terrain
Troops Available
10th Mountain Division PAO (-)
314th Press Camp Headquarters (-)
Every non-SOF soldier in Afghanistan
Time
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METT-T
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History
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We are good guys
doing good things
for a good reason
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METT-T
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METT-T
Mission
Enemy—Audiences
Terrain
Troops Available
Time
2 weeks
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History
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METT-T
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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
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OGAs etc.
This is some weird stuff," joked an Army officer who coordinates air strikes. "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.
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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
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History
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History
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History
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ALI KHEYL
KHOWST AF
GARDEZ
SHKIN
BAGRAM AF
KABUL AF
QANDAHAR AF
MAZAR E SHARIF AF
K2
MIRAM SHAW AF, PK
PARACHINAR AF, PK
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KNOWN LOCATIONS, OBJ
OBJ
Remington
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MARZAK
BABUKHEL
SERKHANKHEL
GREEN AREAS SUITABLE FOR HLZs
SERKHANKHEL POTENTIAL HLZs
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D-1 TO D•SENIOR LEADERS EXFIL NORTH ON RATLINES TO AVOID KK, ZK, TF-64
•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
120 mm
SA 7
SA 7
SA 7120 mm
SA 7
Sr Ldr
LOOKING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH
OBJ
Remington
Sr Ldr
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120 mm
SA 7
DShK
SA 7
120 mm
LOOKING FROM SOUTH TO NORTH
OBJ
Remington
DShK
120 mm
120 mm
120 mm
120 mm
120 mm
120 mm
120 mm
120 mm
120 mm
120 mm
120 mm
AQ
AQ
•NLT D-1, CONFIRMED APPROX 400 ENEMY IN SHAHI KHOWT
•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
D-1 TO D
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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
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Classified forces and IO
PAG-Don’t say nuttin to nobody
Don’t understand about hiding in
plain sight
Strategic, operational, and political
implications
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U.S. Forces Kill 5 In An Afghan Raid That Raises
DoubtsBy 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.
"So far we haven't found anyone of great interest in this group," a senior
military official said. "If they prove not to be bad guys, and were just in
the wrong place at the wrong time, we'll release them."
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History
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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
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Keys to Success
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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
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Media Relations Specifics
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Media Relations Specifics
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Media Relations
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Media Relations
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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
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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
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News Conferences:
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VIP coverage
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VIP Coverage
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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