Army Public Affairs Program

What is it?

The Army Public Affairs Program, outlined in AR 360-1, is the guide to conducting public communication strategy for information, command information, leader engagements, and community outreach activities directed toward both the external and internal publics with interest in the Department of Defense. The U.S. Army is constitutionally required to communicate with its members, the American public, and international publics.

The proactive release of accurate information puts U.S. military operations in context.

What are the current and past efforts of the Army?

Army Public Affairs fulfills the Army’s obligation to keep the American people and the Army informed. To successfully tell the Army’s story, a variety of digital communication tools are used to instantaneously tell the Army’s story. It also allows the obligation to stay connected with the Army Family and share accurate and timely information.

AR 360-1 was recently updated to provide commanders, leaders and public affairs officers (PAOs) the tools they need for the current and emerging demands of the communication environment. The following additions were some of the changes made:

• Digital Media Management and Media Relations sections
• Conduct Assessments and Counter Misinformation/Disinformation core tasks
• Public Affairs Code of Ethics and Commander’s Communication Synchronization concepts
• Clear guidance on key responsibilities:
  • Crisis Communication
  • Community Engagements
  • Drone Usage
  • Social Media Management

What continued efforts does the Army have planned?

The proliferation of information sources, coupled with improved mobile technology, allows information to travel instantaneously around the globe. PA will continue to leverage communication techniques via a variety of digital communication tools to tell the Army’s story. The following efforts, included in AR 360-1, focuses on the future directionality of timely and accurate information release on the most up-to-date platforms:

• Dissemination: Impartial and objective dissemination of information about the United States and its allies .
• Social media: Army social media platforms are official representations of the U.S. Army. Social media managers on official Army social media accounts must be granted release authority by the commanding officer.
• Countering misinformation/disinformation: A commander cannot counter false information without being credible. PA can mitigate and counter adversary disinformation and misinformation with accurate and timely public information and imagery.

Why is this important to the Army?

Army Public Affairs fulfills the Army’s obligation to keep the American public and the Army accurately and timely informed so as to assess and understand facts about national security and defense strategy. PA helps to establish the conditions that lead to confidence in America’s Army and its readiness to conduct operations in peacetime, conflict and war.

Resources:

• Army Public Affairs
• U.S Army Website
• Army Social Media
• STAND-TO! Information paper archive
• Army Publishing Directorate: Army Regulations

Related documents:

• AR 360-1, The Army Public Affairs Program
• FM 3-61, Public Affairs Operations