l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l Fairs Band  concerts Celebration  of  Navy  anniversaries,  national holidays and military observances Fund-raising   events Meetings, conferences and public appearances of naval  personnel Aircraft  and  parachutists  flyovers,  displays  and demonstrations Public visitation (tours, ship visits) Participation by athletes, teams, bands, color guards and other Navy units in sports events Navy speakers (see Chapter 6) Orientation and guest cruises in ships and aircraft Exhibits Navy art shows Official  honors  and  ceremonies,  such  as  VIP arrivals, ship launchings, commissionings and decommissioning,  changes  of  command,  award presentations,  retirements  and  dedications Staging of Navy demonstrations Official  civil  ceremonies,  such  as  inaugural parades for U.S. presidents and state governors Ship visits to foreign ports The planning and execution of most of the above events are governed by complicated, technical DoD and Department of the Navy policy guidance. This policy is constantly  changing.  Make  sure  you  have  at  your disposal and are familiar with all current guidelines referred  to  in  the  references  cited  above  when  you  are engaged in special events activity. There are also many varied  administrative  procedures  involved,  such  as reports,  records  and  detailed  request  forms  for  armed forces participation in public events. For example, flyovers by military aircraft at civilian public events may appear to be simple events to arrange. Your first thought might be that it is just a few planes buzzing a field. The reality is that civilian sponsors for military flyovers  of  off-base  civic  events  must  forward  their request to ASD(PA) for consideration. While the various military  services  may  approve  flyovers  on  military installations,   ASD(PA)   is   the   only   authority   for approving flyovers in the public domain. (CHINFO can authorize   flyovers   of   off-base   civic-sponsored observances  of  Armed  Forces  Day,  Memorial  Day, Independence  Day  and  Veterans  Day.  Consult  PA Regs, Chapter  4,  for  further  information  regarding  flyovers.) Use  DD  form  2535,  “Request  for  Military  Aerial Support; in planning a flyover. Public affairs people must be thoroughly familiar with  all  regulations  before  even  discussing  participation with a sponsor. The sponsor must not be left with the impression  that  the  flyover  is  committed  before  he receives official approval from the rnilitary department or DoD level. To prevent misunderstandings, you can provide civilian  sponsors  with  a  copy  of  the  format  for requesting armed forces flight and parachute teams when they request a flyover. The PAO can then forward the  checklist  through  proper  channels  to  CHINFO,  or the   sponsor   may   submit   the   request   directly   to OASD(PA). TARGETING  THE  AUDIENCE Special  events  inform  or  educate  the  publics  at which  they  are  aimed,  and  they  help  to  cement community relationships. They call attention to new developments and new programs–anything that is new and significant in the Navy. Most important, special events should be used to emphasize themes in support of  community  relations  objectives. A special event should be aimed at one or more specific audiences or publics. These may include the internal public, the community, regional, national or international  audiences  or  special  publics. Internal Special events aimed at internal audiences include family cruises, ceremonies opening new facilities on base  (Navy  Exchange,  recreation  buildings,  barracks, and  so  on),  athletic  events  and  most  award  ceremonies. Community Participation  in  local  celebrations,  assignments  of speakers and marching units near the installation, public visitation, most air shows, local exhibits and similar events are aimed at a community audience. Regional, National and International A  Navy  exhibit  at  a  state  fair,  well-publicized launching and commissioning ceremonies, unveiling of 5-16