(click image to make larger)
The Air Force’s Public Affairs (PA) function has had a rough run of things lately, enduring the general hum of criticism from airmen who see too much PA coverage of senior leader visits, band performances, and ancillary issues, and not enough coverage of what airmen do to defend the nation from air and space. Frustration culminated recently when coverage of MSgt. Tom Case’s receipt of a second Silver Star was eclipsed by the Chief of Staff’s promotion of a dog to the rank of major.
But amid an ocean of commentaries about fitness and core values and a steady stream of PA stories featuring PA airmen, stories of substance occasionally emerge. Such a story surfaced over the weekend, when the online community took note of a curious retweet beamed out by the Air Force’s chief publicist, Brigadier General Kathleen Cook.
Cook, who assumed her post in March of this year, is a former bandsman and career publicist with no deployment experience who has spent the vast majority of her career advising leaders in the space and missile community. Having served in many posts proximate to communications practices developed during the Cold War might explain the nascent PA tendency toward propaganda, which seems more prevalent since she took over.
HT @MolotovFlicker via Twitter.
No comments:
Post a Comment