communicate with the internal and external publics on behalf of a command’s community relations program, use the communication skills discussed in Chapter 6 of this manual and the “Special Events” section of this chapter. If you disregard or improperly use the facts gathered  in  the  community  survey  when  designing community  relations  communications,  the  efforts  may result in mere publicity and no significant contribution to the program. EVALUATING The final step of the community relations program is  the  evaluation  of  results  and  the  effectiveness  of techniques used. Use this step to answer these questions: How did it go? Would it have been better if something else was tried? This step leads back to the first step, since it is rare that a community relations program ends abruptly once it has been set in motion. In addition to measuring the bits and pieces of the community  relations  program,  the  overall  program should  be  reviewed  and  results  measured  against  the objectives  determined  in  the  planning  segment.  The  end of a calendar year is often a significant opportunity for a public affairs staff to prepare an evaluation of its mission accomplishment. Some organizations publish a narrative   history,   documented   with   examples   of significant public affairs activity. This type of analysis serves at least two purposes. First, it provides the public affairs office the opplunity to analyze public affairs efforts and determine the lessons learned for future reference. Second, it serves as a vehicle to inform the key staff agencies, subordinate units and commander of the significant accomplishments of the public affairs office during the previous year. If the analysis is to be used  for  critical  evaluation  of  lessons  learned,  the sensitive elements of the study should be maintained for office  use  only,  since  their  release  could  seriously impede the organization’s relations with the public. SPECIAL EVENTS Learning  Objective:  Identify the types of special events and the importance of audience targeting and public factors. A  special  event  is  an  event  that  is  staged  or conducted to dramatize a factor convey a message to a public.  These  events  include  news  of  a  special  type.  A special event is not just a fact. It is a definite event that is planned and controlled. Special events, then, are planned  news–  news  that  is  planned  to  achieve increased  public  understanding  and  support  for  a command, the Navy and the DoD. For example, consider the launching of a new class of submarine using a revolutionary weapons system. This can be done with utmost secrecy to hide the Navy’s new capability from a potential enemy. Or it can be done in a matter-of-fact manner at the appropriate time during the  construction  process.  Either  method  would  be efficient. Why, then, was this ship launched with waving flags,  television  cameras  and  a  band  playing  traditional Navy  songs?  Why  didn’t  the  DoD  assume  complete secrecy or merely ignore the event? Why bother with that type of event at all? The  obvious  reason  is  that  the  advantages  of worldwide news media and the pageantry of the event outweigh  any  disadvantages.  The  launching  of  the submarine clearly shows the world that the United States had added a lethal weapon to its defense force. And since the  weapon,  once  operational,  would  have  to  be concealed to be effective, the special event served the essential purpose of proving that the weapon did exist. As a side effect, the launching also gives recognition to the men and women in the Navy, to industrial specialists who  designed  and  engineered  the  submarine  and  to  the management and workers of the shipyard as well as all the associated contractors. It vividly dramatized the importance of sea power and improved the morale of Navy men and women ashore and afloat. However, its chief purpose was to make the deterrent effect of the new weapons  system  a  reality. On a smaller scale, it is a special event when the captain  awards  a  Letter  of  Commendation,  presents  a Good Conduct Medal to a BM2 or when a 20-year chief is piped over the side to join the Fleet Reserve. The BM2’s  multiple  would  be  just  as  high  on  the  next advancement examination if the medal were sent to him by guard mail, as long as the proper entry was made in his service record. And the chief’s retainer will not go any further at the commissary just because all hands turned out to see him off. In both cases, the event is staged for its morale effect to reward good men and women  for  faithful  service  and  to  encourage  others  to serve as well. TYPES Special  events  in  which  Navy  participation  is authorized  and  sanctioned  include  a  multitude  of happenings,  all  of  which  are  described  in  detail  in  PA Regs and  include  the  following: . Parades 5-15