Military - Media Relations: Implications for the Operational Commander
Abstract
An examination of the military-media relationship and it's affect on military operations. The paper starts with a brief review of this relationship during significant points in U.S. military history: the Civil War, World War I and II, Vietnam, and the operations against Grenada and Panama. The formation of the Sidle panel to improve military-media relations and the panel's recommendations. The mistakes and successes of each of these historic episodes are extracted as a foundation to build the military-media relationship going into Desert Shield. Media issues of Desert Shield/Storm are examined in depth and lessons learned here are compared with the lessons of the past. Implications for the Operational Commander in future operations are proposed and include advancing communications technology, operational security, military training in media issues and getting the public affairs officer (PAO) more involved at all levels of staff activity. Recommendations for enhancing military-media relations are (1) Commander and staff education and training, (2) Expand the role and responsibility of the PAO, (3) Plan for public affairs and test plans in exercises, (4) Ensure the Commander's concept for public affairs is understood and uniformly executed throughout all echelons of the force.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 13, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA249938
Entities
People
- James P. Clager
Organizations
- Naval War College