Identify a command information bureau (CIB) site ahead of time. More than 600 media, including the White House press corps, gathered in Norfolk to cover the Iowa's story on short notice. The logistics alone   of   transporting   that   many   people   is staggering, even with time for planning. . Early in the crisis, identify a clear chain of  command,  make   specific   personal   assign- ments  (media  officer,  administration  officer, drivers,   etc.)   and   create   planning   groups   for specific  events,  such  as  Iowa’s  return  and  the memorial service. Let these groups focus ahead on the details for the events while the key decision makers  remain  free. . Identify goals immediately.  In  Norfolk, Iowa's  home port, there were two key Atlantic Fleet public affairs goals: to inform the families and protect them from unwanted media intrusion and to accommodate  the  overwhelming  media  interest  in the explosion, the ship and the families. .  Know  how  to  communicate  with  the Navy  families.   The   Norfolk   Family   Services Center  and  Commander,  Naval  Base  Norfolk, activated their crisis response plan immediately after the explosion and offered a central gathering place  for  families  at  the  Norfolk  Naval  Base gymnasium   for   counseling   and   information. Unfortunately,   the   mechanism  for  getting information to the families before they see it in the  media  is  weak.  Family  members  who  are confused  or  scattered  away  from  fleet  locations  or perhaps  do  not  trust  or  understand  the  Navy follow  news  reports  for  the  latest  information. Official information is filtered in the media and mixed  with  speculation,  misinformation  and inaccuracies. There  is  no  way  to  solve  this  problem completely. Improvements can be made in the flow of information between fleet commands and the ombudsman and family services center, but the media will always play a key internal information role.  It  becomes  especially  important  in  these  crises to get the most complete and accurate facts as quickly as possible to the news media and to correct  wrong  stories  as  they  appear.  This  implies continual  monitoring  of  coverage. Carefully plan the physical arrangements for the  media  at  event  sites  and  methods  to  keep  the media informed. When you make an honest attempt to  bring  the  story  to  the  media,  it  reduces speculation.  An  official  spokesman  must  be established as the best source of breaking news. If the press has the available facts, they are less likely to speculate, to go to “think tank experts” and to  hound  the  families.  The  first  information  about the  explosion  was  released  to  the  press  almost immediately  in  Norfolk.  The  Atlantic  Fleet  sent  a public  affairs  assistance  team  to  the  Roosevelt Roads Naval Base in Puerto Rico within six hours of the explosion and conducted a media availability with the 2nd Fleet Commander, Vice Adm. Jerry Johnson, in Puerto Rico less than 24 hours after the explosion.   The   draw   of   the   press   conference permitted  the  ship  to  remain  relatively  undisturbed off   Roosevelt   Roads   while   the   remains   were transferred  ashore  by  helicopter.  The  media  were then   taken   to   the   flight   line   to   observe   the flag-draped caskets being escorted aboard a C-5 by an honor guard. It took Iowa five days to return to Norfolk after the  explosion.  The  CIB  arranged  a  media availability aboard  Iowa's sister  ship,  the  battleship USS  Wisconsin  (BB  64),  to  give  reporters  an opportunity to see the turret where the fire and explosion occurred. This also enabled the media to talk to battleship sailors about the routine operation of the gun for perspective and background. On the day of the  Iowa's  return,   approximately 500 media were roped into an area at the end of the pier,  photographing  the  grim  arrival  from  flatbed trucks without interfering with the homecoming. At  the  memorial  service  the  next  day,  the presence of the White House press corps swelled the total number of media attending to more than 600, in an aircraft hangar already crowded with more than  5,000  people.  Bleachers  in  the  hangar,  careful selection   of   pool   locations   for   cutaways   and separation of the media from the crew and more than 100 family members helped give the crew members and families privacy, while giving the press as many opportunities as possible to cover the ceremony. Most of the needs of the media and the needs of the families were met during the lowa crisis, but there is always room for improvement. The reality of the Iowa crisis is that any command, anywhere in the world, can be forced to deal with a similar crisis without notice. The biggest lesson learned is that no one can plan or train enough for that day. 2-4