Revisions to CAPR 190-1

[CAPPAO]

Changes to CAPR 190-1, Civil Air Patrol Public Affairs Program, have been posted on the publications page at http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/forms_publications__regulations/indexes_regulations_and_manuals.cfm

[Gunner C]

Step 1 Determine PA needs and opportunities; Step 2 Establish objectives designed to fulfill needs and opportunities identified in Step 1; Step 3 Establish goals and action strategies for each objective; and Step 4 State the desired impact envisioned for each goal provided in Step 3.

Like everything else, it says nothing about the plan being a part of the overall plan (the one that the commander is responsible for).  That one should be based on the next higher commander's plan, and so forth.  This is why CAP never gets things done - there's no synergy!

[CAPPAO]

Actually, the plan must be approved by the Commander and the Commander's Commander, so the process actually assumes that there will be collaborative input while the draft is being produced.

[BillB]

Seeing CAP Manual 190-1 cut to six pages in CAPR 190-1 indicates that Public Affairs Officers are less trained, and higher headquarters has no idea if the Squadrons have an effective PA program. I disagrre that reporting has been dropped. If a Wing PAO sees the Squadron X is not doing public speaking at civic clubs, suggesting can be made. Or news releases are sent only to CAP publications such as The Volunteer and not local media.
Much to often PAO slots are filled by Commanders appointing some member that may or may not even attend meetings or activities. The PAO specialty track doesn't provide the groundwork needed to be an EFFECTIVE PAO. Without an effective on-going local PA program, Squadrons just bumble along. And with no reporting, higher headquarters, read that as Wing, isn't aware of the failure at local levels.
What's needed is a return to the old Form 19 with monthly or bi-monthly reporting. A Wing sponsored annual PAO Workshop to train PAO's in journalism is a must-do. Most PAOs never consider the possible news releases that the Squadron could do, or have speaking engagements at various civic clubs. One speaking engagement most often missed is to local School Boards. tell them about youth benefits in the cadet program. Most School Boards have no idea of the Aerospace Education program of CAP.
A National Committee appears to be needed to re-evaluate the entire PAO program and the possibilities of expansion to a professional level.
Before someone says what does BillB know about PAO, I was a Wing and Region PAO, so I can see the problems in the program. (and my %#@$ Spelcheck still doesn't work)

[RiverAux]

I bet if you actually count up all the regulatory info in the old 190-1 it probably would come to LESS than 6 pages.  It was essentially a how-to manual for public affairs manual and not a regulation.  I applaud them for splitting the regulatory stuff out into a regulation where it needs to be. 

If you were a Wing and Region PAO then you already know that probably half of all units don't have a PAO, so you're only going to get reports from a minority of units.  So why waste the time of the PAOs that are actually doing something useful by making them fill out reports?  Even without reports a good wing staff officer is going to know whether their squadron equivalents are actually doing their job or not.

[BillB]

I agree that CAPM 190-1 was a "how to do" manual. But what replaced it? When I was Wing PAO, every Squadron had a PAO and a monthly report was required listing news releases written releases published, public speaking activity etc. It gave higher headquarters a chance to see where a units PA weak points were and make suggstions to improve the unit PA activity.
Now there is no reporting, thus no oversight,  no "how to do" manual or other assistance to a new PAO. AD PAOs all have a journalism degree of one sort or another. But CAP PAOs are usually just a member assigned to the position with no background in journalism, PA or PR.

[RiverAux]

I believe the old manual is still linked in places on the NHQ and most Wing pages I've visited as well as the AF manual.  So, its not like its disappeared. 

If you had a working PAO at every single unit in your wing, you were blessed.  Anybody can get commanders to appoint bodies to the position to fill out the org chart (which seems to be what CAP wants today) even if they don't do anything.  But, if ALL of your PAOs were doing their job, I congratulate you. 

[Major Carrales]

I have been a PAO for 10 years now.  In half of that time I had no guidance, save the old 190-1, most of which was not applicable to the policies and procedures of the local newspapers, radio and television. 

The professional guidance of the REG and lots of leg work is what worked. 

[RADIOMAN015]

I have been a PAO for 10 years now.  In half of that time I had no guidance, save the old 190-1, most of which was not applicable to the policies and procedures of the local newspapers, radio and television. 

The professional guidance of the REG and lots of leg work is what worked.

I tend to believe it is the person who is in the PAO job & their overall motivation to do the job "right" rather than regulatory guidance.  Formal PAO plans are just another waste of members' valuable time  .  It's relatively simple to sketch out on 1 or 2 sheets of paper what you plan on doing over the year, and this isn't going to change that much from year to year.

Also EVERY member of the unit needs to help the PAO by taking pictures etc at EVERY unit activity/meeting.   Expecting the PAO to be at every function isn't fair

CAP hdqs as well as CAP-USAF headquarters has more than adequate paid staffing to provide a lot more assistance to the 'volunteer" side of the house.    In many instances they could issue direct press releases to even local newspapers with the bottom portion of the article listing the local units etc to be contacted for further information.
RM   

[Major Carrales]

The idea of sending PAO reports to GROUP and WING seems to me to be a waste of time.  Many times, back when this was the rule,  I often noted that the whole of the effort became more "turn in the reports or your unit will be placed on a suspense list" than anyone actually "reading" the reports.

Reducing the reports sent to Wing elimanates the number of items of paper that, realsitically, cannot be read by anyone anyway.  I wonder how many Wing Commander's have old file cabinets of PAO reports from the 1990s and turn of the century that have never been opened once. 

True, this situation might be an historian's treasure trove, but a benchmark for Public Affairs it is not.   

[RiverAux]

True, this situation might be an historian's treasure trove, but a benchmark for Public Affairs it is not.   

Very accurate.  About the only historical documents my wing possesses are old PAO reports and the accompanying newsclippings. 

[Major Carrales]

True, this situation might be an historian's treasure trove, but a benchmark for Public Affairs it is not.   

Very accurate.  About the only historical documents my wing possesses are old PAO reports and the accompanying newsclippings.

One of the goals in mind for my weekly newsletter is to be "reader friendly" to future CAP historians.  I print out one HERO copy for storage, the rest is electronic.

It might be a good practice, if only done informally, for the PAOs of today to become the Historians of tomorrow.  I sure plan on it.

[Smithsonia]

The issue that constantly comes up is simple to express. PAO announcements (so and so is Capt., Squadron Commander appointed, Maj. Smith just received such and such a decoration, or encampment was on such and such a date) has long been the domain of the Public Affairs Officer. This is reasonably important work. However, what is more important, is narrative and story.

What is important about this award, decoration, or up grade. How, who, when doesn't answer why. Why is the story narrative to the importance of the event. If you can form a true story. If you can fix the why with the important... then the story will live.

Announcements need why (as in; why should we care) When you talk history, "why we should care" is very important. If you can do a caption and an announcement, you've done but half the work. Why it is important is the toughest but not THAT tough.

I wrote a story last week about the first Observer/Mission Pilot streamlined course for crews that already have missions and experience under their belts. A typical PAO report would have been - a list of the students and teachers as a caption to a picture.

Instead, my headline was: "First Rate Instructors build First Rate, First Class." I built the story around the instructors and the uniqueness of the class. In this manner I tried to state why we should care. And therefore, unite Public Affairs and Historians work into one good, well-told story.

All other things being equal --"He who tells the best story, wins!"

[Rotorhead]

What's needed is a return to the old Form 19 with monthly or bi-monthly reporting. A Wing sponsored annual PAO Workshop to train PAO's in journalism is a must-do. Most PAOs never consider the possible news releases that the Squadron could do, or have speaking engagements at various civic clubs.

Concur, although the efforts we have made in the Colorado Wing to hold workshops have been met with so-so attendance.

Those to do attend seem to appreciate what they get out of the events, however.

[RiverAux]

I think you will find that if you take a look at the various Wing and Region public affairs plans on the NHQ web site that only about half of all squadrons even have PAOs.  So, by requiring a report you're really making extra work for the commanders of half the units -- and if they don't have a PAO, they're probably not doing much PA work, making the report even more of a time waster for them. 

[capn_shad]

I concur with Captain Orr -- I was at the recent COWG PAO Conference and it was very beneficial for a still-learning PAO!  Comparing all the potential things our squadron could be doing in the PA realm to what we currently do is sort of depressing though!

Perhaps the toughest thing to figure out it where to begin when you are essentially starting from scratch.  In that task, the old 190-1 is very helpful in coming up with the new PA plan required by the amended 190-1.  My draft plan is over 15 pages long at this point!  Next year's plan won't be nearly as large.

My advise is to start small and expand when you have time, but always keep an eye out for that unique opportunity that needs to get publicity.  Keeps the task much less overwhelming!

[Smithsonia]

Shad;
PAO is ultimately -- in its highest form of practice, a craft. Some will get this craft. Some won't. It must be practiced for years and years before it is mastered... if ever.

Craft is not an easy thing for institutions to teach. It is best taught in a craft-guild manner through mentorship. I urge all of those that seek proper training to attend PAO conferences. I urge all those that seek mastery to seek out a master and become that PAOs pupil. Scott Orr and I are in the same squadron. Between the two of us we have many many years of both good and mediocre work. We know the difference. We attempt to achieve the former but often must accept the latter. We talk constantly about the difference and hone one another using the wits of the other.

Good PA - and I mean really good PA at the highest of skill level is always appreciated but seldom understood. Such is the nature of all craftside enterprises. It is just the way it is.