March Director’s Cut Online

Col. Bryan Salas

The Director’s Cut: DivPA’s Monthly Newsletter to the Marine Corps’ PA Community is now online you can download it here

Fellow Marines –
When faced with nearly any professional dilemma or conflict, Marine Infantry and PAO Trane McCloud would respond with the question, “What does the Marine Corps Order say?”

We lost LtCol McCloud in Iraq on Sunday, 3 Dec 06, when the CH-46 helicopter he was riding in crash-landed in a lake in Anbar province. Trane’s guidance, to consult Marine Corps Orders and Directives when faced with challenging professional situations, however, still resonates more than four years now since his passing.

Consulting these types of “source documents” hasn’t always been easy for PA Marines. The documents often were outdated or just didn’t exist. We have earnestly tried to remedy this shortcoming by updating existing orders and doctrine, and we’re currently developing new doctrine that outlines PA TTPs concerning topics such as ethics, research, planning and evaluation.

Guiding our efforts is the PA Roadmap 2025. The Roadmap guides us as we adapt to the changing communication environment. It addresses the entirety of our community and is not rank-specific. It is intentionally broad and designed to permit continual development. My expectation is that all PA professionals will read it and be able to discuss it with leaders.

As outlined in the Roadmap, our mission is to communicate and engage in order to build understanding, credibility, trust and mutually beneficial relationships with domestic and foreign publics – those publics on whom the Marine Corps’ success or failure ultimately depends. You already understand this, but does your leadership?
It is imperative that we educate them about the complementary yet unique capability PA brings to the Marine Corps. PA provides increased flexibility, responsiveness and utility if fully leveraged. For example, PA is unique in that it can legally communicate with all audiences – foreign, domestic, friendly, neutral, and adversary.

Additionally, it can rapidly release information products without a lengthy approval process and can operate across the commander’s Area of Operations and Areas of Interest and Influence without seeking additional authorities. It also can legally operate from either the United States or overseas, resulting in continuous PA support from any location.

This is the tremendous capability that PA provides the commander. Please ensure he or she knows it.
Semper Fidelis! Col Bryan Salas