Air Station Miami Hosts First Joint Public Affairs Course

Today Coast Guard Air Station Miami welcomed the first-ever joint Public Affairs course for both active duty and Auxiliary. The 21 students in the course are from all corners of the US and include Auxiliarists and enlisted and officer members from the active duty Coast Guard.

Taught by the Auxiliary's national staff, made up of professionals in the business, the intensive 3-day course prepares the attendees for service as a media representative for Auxiliary and active duty units. Additional topics covered are use of modern media, writing for publication, and other related activities.

Previous versions of the course were conducted separately for Auxiliarists and for active duty members. The increasing integration of the Auxiliary into the active duty world is recognized and continued by the joining of the two courses. Graduates will fan back out across Team Coast Guard to write and publish stories and photographs that tell the story of the Coast Guard and its activities.

In today's environment of austere budgets and continuing resolutions, the Coast Guard is depending more on Auxiliarists for their public affairs and media activities. Thus, having professionally-trained Auxiliarists available is vital to all components of Team Coast Guard. Those Auxiliarists who successfully complete the course, the follow-on assignments, and the board interview are designated a Public Affairs Specialist. So far, there are just over 60 such Auxiliarists nationwide. When an Auxiliarist reaches the highest level of certification, the PA 3, s/he is eligible to work directly in an active duty unit.