12.2 Military Communication

Communication as a Foundational Competency

AFH 1 lists what the Air Force means by effective communication:

• Presenting complex information articulately and concisely
• Tailoring communication to address concerns of the audience
• Voicing differing opinions on contentious issues without triggering a defensive response
• Attending to non-verbal cues, and communicating with sensitivity to others' needs

The third bullet is the one worth flagging: the competency is not just having a differing opinion but expressing it without triggering a defensive response — a standard that reappears in the SJT.

The structural model is used throughout the chapter: communication can be broken into three parts — the sender, the message, and the audience — and "we must be aware of and responsible for how we communicate, including the way our communication is perceived by others."

Strategic Communication

AFH 1 gives the DoD definition: "a process of purposefully using communication for the intent of advancing national interests and objectives through synchronized integration of information with other elements of national power."

Communication synchronization entails "focused efforts to create, strengthen, or preserve conditions favorable for the advancement of national interests, policies, and objectives by understanding and engaging key audiences through the use of coordinated actions."

The plain-language restatement is the one to memorize: "strategic communication is implemented by aligning actions, words, and images with the purpose of obtaining a specific objective or objectives." Three things get aligned — actions, words, and images — not just words.

AFH 1 notes that strategic communication has been designated as a special area of emphasis.

Enterprise Perspective

Having an enterprise perspective "empowers USAF leaders to inform and appropriately influence key audiences by synchronizing and integrating communication efforts to deliver truthful, timely, accurate, and credible information, analysis, and opinion."

Two principles follow:

• "Truth is the foundation of all public communications, both in terms of credibility and capability."
• "Timely and agile dissemination of information is essential to achieving desired effects." Without it, strategic communication cannot maximize value or potential — it "must be conducted at the time, level, and manner for which it is intended."

Our USAF Story. AFH 1 states that "USAF leaders want every Airman to be a communicator or spokesperson for the USAF" and able to tell their USAF story, integrating personal experience into a message that adds credibility to USAF, DoD, and national strategic communication.

Public Affairs

Per AFI 1-1, the purpose of Public Affairs operations is "to communicate timely, accurate, and useful information about USAF activities to Department of Defense, the USAF, as well as domestic and international audiences."

The role definition is directly testable: the PA representative is the commander's principal spokesperson and advisor, and a member of the personal staff. PA:

• Advises the commander on the implications of command decisions, actions, and operations on foreign and domestic public perceptions
• Plans, executes, and evaluates activities and events to support overall operational success
• Must have resources to provide information, including visual information, to staff, public, media, and subordinate units in near real time
• Should be involved in planning, decision-making, training, equipping, and executing operations

The governing reference is AFI 35-101, Public Affairs Operations.

AFH 1 adds a perception note that connects to the standards-of-conduct chapters: "any activity not in alignment with good order, discipline, and national security may intentionally or unintentionally generate a negative perception of the USAF." Commanders have the authority and responsibility to address situations that could be perceived negatively, while being mindful of preserving the service member's right of expression. The reference for the boundary is DAFI 51-508, Political Activities, Free Speech and Freedom of Assembly.

Social Media

"Individuals are responsible for what they say, share, or post on social networking services." AFH 1 sets three limits on commentary on internet blogs — Airmen may not place comments that:

1. Reasonably can be anticipated or are intended to degrade morale, good order, and discipline of any members or units of the U.S. Armed Forces
2. Are service-discrediting
3. Would degrade the trust and confidence of the public

A second-order point often missed: social network "friends" and "followers" may potentially constitute relationships that could affect background investigations and periodic reinvestigations associated with security clearances.

Operations security on social media. Because social media magnifies reach, it brings increased risk of magnifying operational security lapses. Classified, controlled unclassified information, and other official DoD information and documents are prohibited from being posted on social networking services or transmitted via non-DoD e-mail accounts without proper authority.

Military References for Communicating

The GPO Style Manual is "the approved reference for all forms and styles of government printing" — that superlative makes it a favorite answer slot.

The Military Phonetic Alphabet

AFH 1 states that all branches of the U.S. Government and military departments use the International Civil Aviation Organization alphabet for radio communication, that it was adopted by the U.S. Armed Forces in 1956, and that it is currently used by NATO countries and civil aviation around the world.

The two facts most likely to be tested about the alphabet itself are ICAO as its origin and 1956 as the adoption year. Pronunciation guides in AFH 1's table — for example "Keh BECK" for Quebec and "LEE mah" for Lima — are occasionally tested as well.

Organizational Communication

AFH 1 defines it as "the strategic sharing of information, both internally and externally, within and across the organizational industry," and states that "creating a culture of communication and maintaining relevance empowers people to own the organizational communication message at every level."

Citing Caldwell, Stroud, and Menning in Fostering a Culture of Engagement, AFH 1 lists five attributes an effective organizational culture must have:

Proactive, innovative, adaptive, leader driven, sustainable — five attributes, and the one most often dropped from a candidate's recall is sustainable, which is also the only one framed in terms of resources and manpower.