Como. Ted Neale, Jr. DC-A - - - - - VOL IV, No. 10 - - - - - Otis W. Littleton, BC-ANN
Como. Ted Neale, Jr. DC-A - - - - - VOL IV, No. 10 - - - - - Otis W. Littleton, BC-ANN
The national Conference in Dallas, Texas was the place where the National Publications Awards and Runners UP were identified.
The Best 1996 National Awards went to:
Those awarded the "Best" category received a plaque with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary emblem.
First Runners UP were identified as:
First and Second Runners Up were awarded a custom certificate by the National Department of Public Affairs Chief.
National Commodore, Everette L. Tucker Jr. spoke to those Auxiliarist that attended NACON, in Dallas: "It is increasingly evident that in order to gain additional resources and support as part of Team Coast Guard the Auxiliary must be made better known to the other Team Members as well as by the American, and yes, to an extent, the international boating or life saving community. Like an unsuccessful business, we could put all our energies and talents into product development and very little into advertising and sales.
"Too long have we hidden our light under a bushel despite having a Public Affairs Program. We talk about, even long for publicity, but what is each of us doing about it? Does each of us devote even a small bit of our thinking and doing to make our capabilities and achievements more widely known and better understood? If we want customers, we must sell our organization - its capabilities, its opportunities, its benefits. We must advertise by word and deed. We must seek to be newsworthy in a positive light."
The commodore then asked how many Auxiliarists have spoken about the Coast Guard Auxiliary before the many service clubs and other volunteer organizations. The Commodore then stressed the importance of communicating to the public the value of the Auxiliary to them, especially in environmental protection and disaster relief.
The fact that the Commodore spent the major portion of his address on Public Affairs has been interpreted by some as meaning we all must do a better job and increase our public affairs awareness.
In keeping with National Commodore Tucker's appeal for improved and increased Public Affairs activity, PA 1, Tenfair Brown, Public Affairs specialist attached to Coast Guard Headquarters, appealed to all Auxiliarists to send him newsworthy stories and action photographs and video tapes of the Auxiliary in action. "These kinds of photos are needed to help us to promote "Team Coast Guard", PA1 Brown said.
PA1 Brown can be reached via mail at: Commandant (G-CP-1a), The United States Coast Guard, 2100 2nd Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20593. His telephone number is 202-267-1019.
Members of the Auxiliary are encouraged to submit their "action" photos and also to submit articles of interest.
District, division and flotilla publications are important contributors to internal communications of important information to our members. The Publications Awards Program recognizes the value of effective internal publications. The purpose of the Awards, in addition to recognizing meritorious works, is to encourage and promote the development and publication of of more quality publications at every level.
Unfortunately for some, they do a great job in promoting the Auxiliary, but, as Commodore Tucker said, they "hide their light under a bushel."
"Hiding your light under a bushel" is an old biblical term that most interpret as a command to publicize your good works. So, you can see that Public Affairs, Public relations is a time honored concept advocated in the Bible. Let's follow through and produce more and better publications. Was your unit publication entered in the awards contest?
Commodore Tucker's appeal for us all to do better in our Public Affairs efforts is right on target. Public Affairs is not the exclusive responsibility of the unit staff officer appointed to Public Affairs. They need the support of the entire unit. This means that the communication of ideas and activities to the Public Affairs Officer by others to assist them in carrying out their duties of communicating those activities out side of the organizational unit to the public, our customers.
It also means that we must strive for creativity in communicating our message in competition with other newsworthy events. We must give the various news media reasons for selecting our our news reports over competing organizations. This includes the use of appropriate photographs containing informative captions with our news stories.
Some "wealthier" units of the Auxiliary have been known to take the easy way out and to purchase advertising space from the media to publicize their Public Education classes and Vessel Examination programs. This is "easier" than competing, true. But remember it also conveys the impression the Auxiliary does have money to expend on Public Affairs and makes it more difficult for neighboring flotilla units in the same media market area who are not as fiscally fortunate as our wealthier neighbors to obtain FREE advertising known as PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS or PSAs. Also, purchasing advertising space may be a convenience today, but what about tomorrow when even the "wealthiest" among us may have deficient funds? How do you then convince the media you really need their FREE support when you paid them in the past? Contact your DSO-PA for a copy of our Primer on Public Service Announcements. If your DSO does not have one, you can download it from the Auxiliary Web Site. You can reach the Web Site at its address: www.cgaux.org/cgauxweb. Then, go to the members page, thence to the Department of Public Affairs.
Public Affairs is an important and time consuming job that does require personal contact of the PA Staff Officer with the print and broadcast media. WEAR YOUR UNIFORM! Even the active duty Coast Guard has to resort to the use of PSAs. They work if you do !
"What's New" is the title of a page from the Auxiliary Web Site. Current information is readily available for downloading.
In 1998, N - TRAIN will be held in St. Louis, MO on 30 Jan to 1 Feb. NACON is scheduled for Las Vegas for 2-3 Sept..
Members who have access to the Auxiliary Web Site are encouraged to make the information contained therein available to other members within their unit(s) who may not have access.
In addition to news of general; interest to members of the Auxiliary, many forms and manuals are now available for downloading. Some may require the use of software such as Adobe Acrobat for downloading the information on line. The address for the "News from the Bridge" format is http://www.cgaux.org/cgauxweb/bridge.htm.
While the new Auxiliary Manual is out of stock at ANSC pending the printing of the new manual, it is available on line and can be downloaded in the Adobe Acrobat format. The document is about 193 pages long and will take some time to print on the small inkjet home type computer.
Herbert P. Bisulk, Chief, Photography Division of the Department of Public Affairs has compiled a great "Handbook on Photography" which covers the fundamentals of journalistic photography. Supporting confirmed findings that our "organization is not well represented in portrayals of our stated and authorized missions," the handbook succeeds in explaining various photographic technical terms that may have frightened many of us in the past. By making these terms and the equipment more understandable we can now develop confidence in the use of the still camera, including useful information on what to consider when purchasing a new or used camera.
With easy to understand explanations, the handbook tells us how to represent portrayals of our authorized activities. We all know that a picture is valued at more than a thousand words. It only makes sense that we always have a camera available to take candid shots of our activities so we can report those activities to the media, including house organs. The photography Handbook will soon be available on the Internet for downloading. Video cameras are also becoming very popular and are in great need by the Coast Guard to document the activities of the Coast Guard and Auxiliary personnel performing their missions.
The video camera most used by the Coast Guard is an "Hi-8" format. This advanced video camera is easy to use, is lightweight and produces superior quality motion portrayals of our activities. Many modern camcorders feature easy to use zoom lenses, several fading feature, stereo sound and an electronic stabilization feature to enhance the stability of the picture when the camcorder is hand held.
Some shots are best when made using a tripod or some other means of steadying the shot such as leaning against a wall or bulkhead or resting your arm on some immobile support. Not all video tapes are going to make the six o'clock news, but their availability of authorized missions will contribute to the Coast Guard's and the Auxiliary's library of action missions that will help to "sell" the public and other customers of our value to them.
The cost of such high tech video equipment has dropped considerably in the past two years as sales of the equipment has increased. Prices are now reasonably competitive with the cost of "standard" video equipment. Considering the high tech features and the comparative ease of use, the "HI 8" 8-millimeter camera is an excellent buy and the tape is easily reproduced. The quality of the picture seems to be superior to other video formats and is reportedly considered to be of "broadcast quality" by many persons. Good cameras, still and video, should be available for use on most authorized missions to record important activities. Practice in the use of them, and you can become an expert.