New Jersey Wing - Civil Air Patrol
Public Affairs

    In days past, public relations officers focused on presenting the best face of the Civil Air Patrol to the outside world, mostly the media. A new version of the governing CAP regulation for public affairs acknowledges that we must do much more than tell the world about the "best kept secret" in the U.S. We must encourage, facilitate and promote communication not just with the media, but also among our own members.
    That communication must go out via more than just the print medium - it must be electronic, multimedia and meaningful to a whole generation that has grown up with the Internet. We must learn how to present the Civil Air Patrol to the electronic world and leverage that ability to our advantage at multiple levels, as well as via the traditional print and broadcast media.
    NJWG public affairs officers at the squadron and group levels are asked to participate in monthly teleconferences where they can share concerns, problems and success stories. Information about the teleconferences is sent to PAOs who have filed CAPF 2A for this duty assignment. For more information, contact me.
    As the wing public affairs officer, it is my job to ensure that we can do all these things. It will require training, time, resources and personnel. But together, we must do it. The future of the Civil Air Patrol in New Jersey depends on us.

    I hope the resources below will be helpful:

Civil Air Patrol CAPR 190-1, new version June 2007
CAPR 190-1 is what governs and guides our actions as public affairs officers and requires the creation of a public affairs plan.

Civil Air Patrol CAPP 201, Public Affairs Specialty Track Study Guide
A handy-dandy checklist that will guide your professional development as a public affairs officer. Promotion usually requires completion of the technician, senior and master levels in a specialty track, so this is a useful guide for the public affairs officer climbing the CAP ladder.

Civil Air Patrol Media Policy
All those questions about how, why and who are answered here in layman’s language, outside of 190-1. Be sure to note the last paragraph about how CAP does not require releases for photos taken in public settings non-commercial uses.

Civil Air Patrol Crisis Policy
As experienced and trained communicators with the public and the CAP membership, PAOs are expected to play in integral part in the command response to crisis at the various levels. Public affairs officers should prepare for eventual crises with commanders in advance.

Civil Air Patrol PAO Toolkit and CAP Channel
CAP NHQ has prepared plenty of tools, including short videos, that can help public affairs officers tell the story of the organization.

CAP National Hometown News Release page
The U.S. Civil Air Patrol Hometown News Release Program is an easy way for PAOs to issue news releases to local media outlets about selected accomplishments and achievements of the CAP members in their unit.

US Air Force Tongue and Quill
This is the US Air Force's guide to verbal and written communication.

Air Force Association Media Guide
Trying to figure out who and how to contact in media in your area? Luckily for us, the AFA (Air Force Association) does most of the footwork for us.

Air University Style Guide
If you're familiar with the AP Stylebook, this style guide should seem like an old friend. If you're new to the concept of a style guide, it explains many of the details of punctuation, capitalization, usage and spelling of many concepts, titles and words - including many military terms.

Merriam Webster Dictionary Online
An online dictionary, handy if you're already writing at a computer.

National Museum of the Civil Air Patrol
The Civil Air Patrol has a wonderful history that public affairs officers are expected to know. This is an online virtual museum to get to know that history.

CAP Volunteer Magazine
CAP members and many others receive this glossy monthly magazine about the best our organization has to offer. There is also an online edition available for download as a PDF. We can usually get extra copies if you need some for recruitment.

CAP Fact Sheet
This is a PDF of the official CAP Fact Sheet, handy for inclusion in media kits or as a handout to new members.

Joining the PAO Listserv - Click Here
CAP PAOs from the across the U.S. share their news, their tips and best practices via this national message board or listserv. Joining the listserv means signing up for email from other PAO members. It’s a great way to feel connected to others in this specialty track.

Recruitment materials - visit CAP E-Services and click on "Recruiting Material" near the bottom of the lefthand menu. PAOs and recruiting officers are welcome to order materials from NHQ at no cost. The "Opportunities Knock" brochure, posters and more can be mailed to you.