Book Description

Army public affairs doctrine is consistent and compatible with joint public affairs doctrine and policy, and Department of Defense (DOD) and Department of the Army (DA) public affairs policies. It describes the fundamental principles and concepts that provide information to internal and external national and international key actors and publics-Soldiers, family members, retirees, political leaders, allies, and adversaries. This publication, Field Manual FM 3-61 Public Affairs Operations April 2014, includes public affairs principles, functions, core public affairs tasks, tenets and characteristics for commanders, planners, and other users of Army public affairs. Public affairs professionals use this manual to plan and conduct public affairs training. This publication is based on current force structure and materiel capabilities. It is authoritative but not prescriptive. Public affairs professionals must use their professional knowledge, skills, and judgment when recommending command adaptations to the principles in this publication to meet specific situations. FM 3-61 contains four chapters: Chapter 1 addresses the defined role of Army public affairs activities and how public affairs supports unified land operations and the relationship of public affairs to the mission command warfighting function. It outlines the relationship of public affairs in information synchronization and how public affairs supports operations. It addresses public affairs support to defense support of civil authorities and the role of public affairs in joint operations. Chapter 2 addresses the public affairs architecture and the mission of Army public affairs as a command responsibility and the mandate from the United States (U.S.) Code requiring the Secretary of the Army to designate a career field to communicate to the American public what the Army does. It discusses the commander's responsibility to designate only military personnel or Army civilian employees as official spokespersons and to train all personnel to tell the Army story to help promote public understanding of Army operations and activities. It outlines the three broad, interrelated public affairs functions: public (external) information, command (internal) information, and community engagement. It addresses the Army public affairs core tasks, tenets, and public affairs functions, core tasks, tenets, and public affairs characteristics. Chapter 3 addresses the Army public affairs force and how it is organized to support commanders at all levels of command and in all phases of operations. The chapter outlines the career programs for commissioned officers, noncommissioned officers, enlisted Soldiers, and Army civilians. It addresses the functions and capabilities of all Army public affairs units, organizations and command sections at installations, in garrison and when deployed. Chapter 4 addresses public affairs relationships with the international, U.S., and local publics with which public affairs must interact to support the commander's communication objectives. It addresses the relationship of the commander to public affairs and the public affairs relationship with the command staff and other functional areas. It addresses Army public affairs and its interaction with other government agencies, such as the Department of State, U.S. Information Agency, U.S. ambassadors, and nongovernmental organizations.