if they are performing as advertised, are as complete as possible and conform to guidance provided in  PA Regs. Some  of  the  programs  and  projects  you  should closely monitor include: community relations (Adopt- A-School,  speakers  bureau,  etc.),  internal  information/ communications  (awards  ceremonies,  other  special events),  command  tours,  static  displays  and  guest cruises.  Do  not  forget  to  scrutinize  your  training program closely, because better trained journalists result in  a  more  efficient  and  professional  operation. Professional  training  will  be  discussed  later  in  this chapter. Products No  matter  the  size,  every  public  affairs  office generates  several  print  and  video  products,  including welcome aboard brochures, command presentations, CO,  XO,  and  C/MC  biographies  and  official photographs,   fact   sheets,   briefings,   familygrams, cruisebooks  and  so  on. Evaluating and editing existing office products can be done in several ways. For example, a welcome aboard brochure can be evaluated by an entire staff as part of professional training, morning quarters or as a fully dedicated planning session. You may choose to solicit input  from  your  staff  members  on  a  one-on-one  basis, or  if  not  time  critical,  the  product,  including  your instructions, can be routed to each staff member in a folder using an office route slip. What  do  you  look  for  when  you  evaluate  your products?  Although  not  all-inclusive,  your  checklist may  look  something  like  the  following  types  of questions: l l l l l l l Is  all  information  current  and  accurate? Are there any typographical errors? Are  pictures  properly  cropped?  Were  the negatives reversed during the printing process? Are there flaws in the layout? Is the paper stock acceptable? Is the font antiquated or garish? For  familygrams: Is  the  text  personal  and conversational?  Are  all  newly  reported  crew members  welcomed?  Are  all  award  winners mentioned  by  name? Is training and safety information  included? l l For cruisebooks: Are all specifications (cover, font,  paper,  color,  special  effects)  adequate? How  can  page  layouts  be  improved?  Is  color photography used wisely? Are there any staff functions  that  can  be  consolidated  or  otherwise improved? For video/slide presentations and briefings: Is the flow of the presentation adequate? Are the edits satisfactory? Are there any extra frames that  require  re-editing? INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS Learning  Objective: Identify   the   role   of   internal communications in public affairs and the products used to carry out its mission. Providing information to the Navy internal audience is one of the most crucial areas of public affairs. Internal communications  (information)  unite  the  leadership  of the command with its people, thus improving, among other  things,  personnel  readiness,  retention,  morale  and the overall quality of life. The Navy internal audience is broken  down  into  five  primary  divisions  as  follows: Active-duty  Navy  personnel Family  members  of  active-duty  Navy  personnel Naval Reserve personnel and families Navy  civilian  employees Navy  retirees  and  families As the manager of a public affairs office, you can effectively   direct   the   communications   with   these divisions  by  using  a  host  of  products,  several  of  which are produced by the Navy Internal Relations Activity (NIRA).  Established  in  1972  to  satisfy  the  internal communications need of the Navy, NRA develops the following  products  with  the  guidance  of  CHINFO: NAVY NEWS SERVICE Navy  public  affairs  professionals  say  the  Navy News  Service  is  NIRA’s  most  timely  and  popular product.  It  is  a  weekly  address  indicating  group  (AIG) message  containing  official,  authoritative  news  and information  about  naval  operations,  policy  and accomplishments.  The  AIG  incorporates  more  than 3,500 addresses, including all Navy and Marine Corps activities,  all  unified  commands  and  all  American embassies. 1-9