Credibility, the intangible and vital requirement in any successful public affairs office, is easily defined. Simply  put,  credibility  means  believability,  and  without it, the ability to succeed as a manager in any public affairs endeavor is severely diminished. So, how do you, the public affairs office manager, establish credibility? And once established, how do you maintain  it  in  the  face  of  mistakes  or  missed opportunities? Nothing can help if you botched a project, but the following  basic  guidelines  may  prove  helpful  in preventing  such  incidents. First,  know  your  job,  and  make  sure  your  staff knows  theirs  as  well.  Nothing  can  substitute  for  a foundation  based  on  sound  knowledge  of  public  affairs practices and regulations coupled with a good dose of common  sense.  When  the  investigative  journalist arrives at the accident site or when the congressman arrives at the main gate with a video crew, there is no time to research the problem. You have to know what to do quickly and correctly. Second, know your command and know it well. You are not expected to be an expert on everything, but you are  expected  to  know  where  to  find  an  expert  answer. Low and mid-level employees are a good source of basic information,   but   rely   on   senior   management   for definitive  answers  that  should  include  policy considerations as well. Using   these   two   guidelines   as   a   foundation, assemble additional building blocks for credibility by trying l l l the  following  suggestions: Anticipate  problems.  Each  week  speed  at  least 15 minutes of uninterrupted quality time looking over the calendar for the coming three months and note activities or areas of potential public affairs  involvement.  Gather  information  and  be prepared. Keep the boss informed. Periodic notes to the PAO (or CO, as discussed later) let him know you are  working  on  an  anticipated  project  or gathering information on a potential problem area. Demonstrating this initiative goes far in establishing  your  credibility. Review all material forwarded to your boss for accuracy  and  completeness.  If  you  have  not personally read it, do not let it leave your office. l l l l Keep  the  chain  of  command  informed. Back-brief command offices and give a “heads up” to senior or subordinate commands. Know the boss’s priorities and make them yours. Redefine what you are doing to match his schedule. If the PAO is sweating out a speech he is writing for the skipper, you can bet he will not be  sympathetic  to  your  monthly  publication woes. Get along with others. If you have to crawl on your bell y through the mud to get the job done, do it. Then vent your frustrations in private. Do not complain. Be sure to let the boss know if you cannot meet deadlines. If the reasons are valid, the boss will usually understand. But if you have   blown   it,   be   prepared   to   pay   the consequences. While  the  media  can  be  difficult  to  work  with, establishing  credibility  with  media  representatives  is easy.  Again,  a  good  knowledge  of  the  craft,  the command and the willingness to go the extra mile will earn you a rich return on your investment. Credibility with regard to the media is discussed in Chapter 4. CORRESPONDENCE Learning   Objective:    Identify  the  elements  of  public affairs office correspondence. A senior journalist must be proficient in composing good  correspondence  in  addition  to  his  journalistic talents.  This  section  covers  the  essentials  of  good correspondence   composition.   For   more   detailed instruction on the preparation of correspondence, refer to the Department of the Navy Correspondence Manual, SECNAVINST  5216.5  series. The  term  correspondence  refers  to  a  variety  of compositions which you may be called upon to prepare, such as: (1) Navy format and public affairs letters, (2) public affairs directives (standard public affairs plans, PA  annexes  to  operation  orders,  Command  Information Bureau (CIB) plans, adverse incident plans, etc.), (3) messages (unit SITREP, news release in message form), (4) public affairs guidance (PAG), (5) memorandum for the  record  and  (6)  point  papers. WRITING THE OFFICIAL NAVY LETTER The  basics  of  preparing  Navy  letters  can  be  applied to  all  forms  of  official  naval  correspondence,  including directives. A letter is more effective when you plan it 1-14