Public Statements

Authority for Public Statements

Cmdr/PA Authority

According to AFI 1-1, the issuance of public statements on official USAF matters is the responsibility of:

Cognizant unit or installation commanders
Their public affairs representatives

Why Wording Matters

Wording Matters

Ensuring that official statements are properly worded and approved avoids statements that:

Do not reflect official USAF policy
Could be misleading to the public if taken out of context

Standards for Personnel Statements

Personnel Statement Standards

To ensure USAF official information is presented professionally, personnel should make certain it is:

Accurate, prompt, and factual
Confined to their particular areas of expertise
Avoids a hypothetical and speculative nature
Accurately reflects USAF policy
Presented simply and honestly
Complies with the spirit and letter of the Secretary of Defense's principles for public information

Reference

PA Reference

For additional information, refer to AFI 35-101.

Members as USAF Representatives

Members as Representatives

As representatives of the service in both official and unofficial contact with the public, members have many opportunities to contribute to positive public opinion toward the USAF.

Pre-Release Review Required

Each USAF member is responsible for obtaining the necessary review and clearance, starting with public affairs, before releasing any proposed statement, text, or imagery to the public.

Includes Digital

This includes digital products being loaded on an unrestricted website.

Classification Compliance

Members must ensure the information revealed, whether official or unofficial, is appropriate for release according to classification requirements in DoDM 5200.01V1_DAFMAN 16-1404V1.

Public Statements