The Role of Public Affairs in U.S. Military Operations Essay

The Role of Public Affairs in U.S. Military Operations - Essay Example The media has also improved the accuracy of reporting and allowed the audience to know their perspective. The benefit is especially important when there is an express need for the military to rapidly influence public opinion such as at the outset of a military action so as to mobilize immediate public support. The relationship with the media was strained during the Vietnam War but later the Department of Defense improved this relationship, which gave rise to the ‘embedded media process’. This had a positive effect on public opinion. In reality, conducting Public Affairs is a complicated task. It is a skill of the PAO to handle any kind of sensitive information and deal effectively with those who are informing and those are to be informed. The office of PA is very important in the age of real time news, and the public media has a very powerful influence and immediate effect such that army conduct can very easily have strategic consequences. This research paper begins with a brief description of the office of Public Affairs and the role of the Public Affairs Officer, and then surveys the important role of Public Affairs in US military operations focusing on how public media has had a positive influence on the US Army. However, some problems and deficiencies are also highlighted. Finally, a case study focuses on the PA and media experience in the war against Iraq. The offices of Public Affairs are important branches of the US Department of Defense that deal with the public media as well as playing a community role. They comprise of not only military officers and enlisted personnel but also civilians. The role of the main Public Affairs Officer (PAO) is to develop â€Å"a working relationship with reporters and other media representatives, maintaining a robust community relations program, keeping contact with other government agencies, and keeping†¦[its own internal members and the general public] informed on issues that may affect them† (Wikipedia,