Public Affairs Office takes top honors in AFSPC

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Justin Brockhoff
  • 341st Space Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The 341st Space Wing Public Affairs Office received the Air Force Space Command Brig. Gen. Harry J. Dalton, Jr., Award, signifying the top Public Affairs Office in AFSPC for 2007, according to a release made in early February.

The Dalton Award, named for the first career public affairs officer promoted to brigadier general as the Air Force director of Public Affairs, recognizes the Public Affairs Office with the best overall communication program in support of the Air Force mission.

"One of our main goals, as we continue to develop Public Affairs into the capability the Air Force needs in our increasingly dynamic communication environment, is to establish processes and incentives that foster a culture of effects-based communication excellence, characterized by innovation, integration with all the tools in our toolkit, and a research-planning-execution-evaluation approach," said Air Force Director of Public Affairs Brig. Gen. Darren McDew.

As part of the research-planning-execution-evaluation approach, instead of a standard 1206 award package form, the 2007 public affairs award submissions were required to be a two-page narrative explaining not only the accomplishments of the nominee, but also detailing the tools and procedures that yielded the winning results. The intent is so winning packages can be used as a best-practices blue print for other public affairs offices across the force and for them to implement characteristics similar to those of the award-winning programs.

"This past year, [the] public affairs team made great strides integrating technology to reach key audiences and garner public trust and support for the Air Force mission," said Lt. Col. Mike Pierson, AFSPC's acting director of public affairs. "The new PA team is now even stronger than before. Their enthusiasm, courage and skill prove every day that Air Force Space Command Public Affairs truly has the 'best of the best'."

A few of the events that called the 341st SW/PA office to action in 2007 include the announcement of the deactivation of 50 Minuteman III missiles from Malmstrom in accordance with the 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review, the fatal Canadian Forces Snowbird crash during a practice for the 2007 Open House, a six thousand-acre fire in Malmstrom's missile complex and communicating the on-going need for the strategic deterrent force to the international audience.

Significant contributors named in the award are: Capt. Elizabeth Mathias, former chief of public affairs; 1st Lt. Justin Brockhoff, chief of public affairs; 2nd Lt. Korry Leverett, chief of media relations; Mrs. Valerie Mullet, chief of internal information; Staff Sgt. Marcus McDonald, NCOIC; Senior Airman Edith Sakura, public affairs product specialist; and Airmen 1st Class Emerald Ralston and Dillon White, staff writers.

"It is very clear to me that we have the best PA office in the command and it's great to see them recognized for their accomplishments over the past year," said Col. Sandra Finan, 341st Space Wing commander. "We experienced a lot of high-profile events in 2007 that required quick and decisive public response from the wing and our PA office delivered each and every time."

The 341st SW/PA office will compete against winners from the other major commands, as well as nominees from deployed forward operating locations, for top honors at the Air Force level. The Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs Office is expected to announce the Air Force-level winners March 7.