This morning, I received a link to a video someone made for promotional use by the United States Air Force. The slogan is "America's Air Force: Then, Now, Always," and uses audio from a John F. Kennedy speech to underscore its theme.
Although I like the overall effect of the video, I would also like the USAF (and other armed services) to take a more active approach to public relations. The public affairs officers do a great deal of hard work - a very close relative of mine is a top tier public affairs officer in the Navy and she stands head and shoulders above her peers in the private sector - but, in my humble opinion, the brass a) allows the politicians to do the job of convincing Americans of the utility and necessity of their mission and b) takes for granted that as their mission is national defense that Americans will always default to an attitude of approval of the military. A more proactive approach to fostering a conversation and relationship with citizens would reap significant benefits.
In that vein, I would like to see the U.S. military begin putting a greater emphasis on telling us of their victories in ways that do not depend on the mainstream media. Dropping bombs and inflicting damage are not the mission of our military, they are tactics to achieve goals. Americans should know what the goals are, in plain English, and how the military is instrumental in achieving them.
It's worth taking a look at the video. Clicking in the image below will link to the host site.
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