[PAO] Is The Suggestion Box Open?

[Ken]

Hello folks:

First by introduction I am a former squadron level PAO (having served 
over five years in that role) and had also been selected for Wing PAO 
and Region PAO of the year.  I had the best TV media news coverage in 
the wing for many years.  I specifically left the PAO volunteer position 
because I received a marginal during an SUI and felt the entire process 
to evaluate squadron PAO's was flawed and didn't want to spend my time 
doing this anymore to just get frustrated (and I can now spend more time 
on my new hobby of photography as well as concentrate on CAP radio 
communications). BTW currently our region and wing are looking for PAO's 
to staff those level functions.

Here's some things I think we need to address and change:

SQUADRON PAO PLANNING SIMPLIFY IT  --  Better than 95% of the units 
inspected in my region were written up for not doing the four step 
plan.  I didn't have the plan because it is just too time consuming to 
do this and the examples given our poor and the measurements are really 
impossible to determine; BUT I did have one sheet of paper with our 
goals for the year and also maintained a log (in word format) of all PAO 
activities with the results (this would include copies of the news 
releases, copies of what was printed, and/or website cross links to TV 
media video) in electronic format.  This shows simply accomplishment of 
the PAO in relation to the goals. Our contingency plan had been 
completed BUT the unit commander at the time had forgotten to send it to 
wing (but wing had never requested it either) due to some serious family 
issues (passing of two immediate family members in a short period of 
time ).  Even for the contingency plan, at least one wing has an overall 
plan with groups/squadron as annexes.  Our past squadron leadership had 
always wanted for wing (we have no groups) to get involved if we had any 
negative press, so from my standpoint wing was always going to be 
involved.   We need to be much more simple in our planning especially at 
the squadron level,  IF we can get external (and of course internal 
coverage (website/facebook) for all our activities, personnel's 
accomplishments, & general public awareness we have met the goals of the 
program and that is what needs to be emphasized in any inspection 
report.  Volunteers have limited time that time should be spent 
accomplishing the basic mission which is "get the good news out about 
CAP locally"!

NATIONAL WEBSITE www.gocivilairpatrol.com NEEDS TO BE CHANGED -- Since 
CAP is suppose to be all inclusive regardless of race, age, disability, 
ethnic origin, etc.  the current recruiting IMHO website fails to 
readily show this.  There a static picture of three young minority 
members in CAP flight suit.   I believe in order to meet the non 
discrimination requirements we should portray all of our members (old, 
disabled, race, ethnic, sex, size, etc)  with perhaps changing pictures 
ever 10/15 seconds or so (which should include those three minority 
members in flight suits).   My firm belief is recruiting retired older 
personnel for many of our volunteer positions might actually work out 
better for the organization due to their availability -- If someone can 
give us 5 to 10 years of dedicated service I think that's great.  
HOWEVER, again a mix of young, old, middle age, various races & 
ethnicity, etc should be what we display on our recruiting website, so 
there no doubt what we stand for.

PAO SKILLS UPGRADE IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE --  Surely, anything one can 
accomplish online as FEMA training and/or participation requirements in 
ES exercises/actual missions is a reasonable requirements.  What is 
unreasonable is some of the requirements for FEMA courses that require 
classroom attendance.  In some states those classes aren't even 
available and when available normally are held during the weekdays so 
volunteers would have to take vacation from their employment in order to 
attend.   BTW offering such a class one time a year at a National 
Conference is likely cost prohibitive to many members.

NATIONAL NEEDS TO ASSIST PAO MORE --  As an example the National Staff 
should consider preparing theme news release for each month of the year 
to aid local PAO in getting coverage.  For example September was 
"National Preparedness Month", how many units did media releases with 
this theme as far as what CAP as an organization does to prepare?   I'm 
sure for every month we could come up with something.

WINGS SUPPORT TO GROUP/SQUADRON PAO'S --  I also think that when a CI is 
conducted their needs to be more emphasis of what the wing PAO is doing 
to assist the various units and also should be checking to ensure the 
wing PAO has gotten the required PAO goals/contingency plans.  
Personally I liked the quarterly report that use to be submitted because 
it specifically looked at squadron new releases (print, radio, TV) (and 
I would now include internal information such as posting to 
facebook/squadron web pages) as well as all squadron community 
activities.  So wing could readily see if there was an active program at 
the unit.

So there it is from my point of view.  So is the suggestion box open or 
closed?

BTW thanks to all of the dedicated PAO's who are always trying to get 
the good word out on CAP!

Ken