By Haylee Gagnon
Taking the job as the Unit Public Affairs Officer (PAO) and Battalion Adjutant is not what every Infantry Officer prepares for. Trading in my ruck for a camera was terrifying for the simple fact that I wouldn’t be doing what an Infantry Officer, in my mind, should be doing. How am I supposed to run social media accounts and display the Regiment’s image to our following if I barely have social media myself? I am not trained as a photographer, so how will I take quality enough pictures to display our training?
I am not a social media expert. I am not professionally trained in Public Affairs. However, I was tasked with handling our battalion’s social media. While I was scared as I waded into the unknown, working as my Battalion’s PAO has been both a great job for my development and an impactful experience. Each day I go to work with the opportunity to shape the experience of those in our battalion, their families, and potential recruits. Public affairs are the voice, the expression of our culture, the entity that allows for the sharing of our courage and showcasing the Army’s greatest asset: our people.
Culture
Our social media bridges gaps between current Soldiers in the unit and their command and the future Soldiers that are joining our ranks. The first thing many look for (and see) about any military unit is its social media presence. By having an active social media, it allows incoming members to gain an understanding of day-to-day operations, to include the operational tempo of the organization, Family Readiness Group events, or any other information they may need to support a successful PCS. When this information is presented properly, Soldiers gain excitement and drive, arriving at their unit prepared. Soldiers come ready to learn and embrace their unit’s traditions.
Our organization’s culture is showcased by our social media platforms, which in turn shares our culture with our students, cadre, and their families. This includes what our people do, how they do it, and why they do it. Our culture impacts our performance and the commitment of our team members. The current students and cadre share information with newcomers, transferring the culture of our organization to the next generation. As a PAO, I want to display and bring our unit’s culture and values to life.
Recruiting and Retention
With the recruiting and retention challenges the military is currently facing, a unit’s public affairs effort is even more important. Marketing what our Army has to offer begins at the lowest level, the Soldier. These Soldiers market our Army, and they give a voice to a wide variety of topics. They keep connections with friends and family for stress relief, access support groups when needed, and can network with professionals and their organizations. Gen. James McConville, 40th Chief of Staff of the Army, said:
We are in a war for talent, and when I think about the Army, it is people—every Soldier, every family member, every Department of the Army civilian, and every Soldier-for-life matters. We have opportunities to offer men and women unlike any other place. We want to make sure that we’re taking advantage of the talent we have in the military.
Without the use of our social media accounts, we cannot showcase the amazing work our Soldiers are doing or the opportunities for future Soldiers.
Effective marketing for recruiting and retention starts with widening our audience. Leveraging different types of media to get our message out to potential Soldiers allows us to do this. The advantage the Army gains from public affairs to market our unit or the Infantry branch is greater than ever before. It is our responsibility to ensure Soldiers know they will be brought into a community of committed and competent leaders who will train and develop them to be committed and competent leaders. We need to invest in our people, our Soldiers, and their families. We are in the people business.
Professional Development
Leaders owe it to their Soldiers to be constantly learning. Behind the camera, I can see every angle during a Platoon or Squad Live Fire; I watch from the drones as the support-by-fire emplaces their machine guns. As an Infantry Platoon Leader, I am expected to be able to see and analyze the entirety of the battlefield and move my Soldiers accordingly. In between snapping pictures, I am watching, critiquing, and doing an internal after-action review with myself to see how I would do things differently and how I could make things better. Being a professional is about reflection, journaling, and thinking about all of these training events. I am then able to share my growth with the force. Originally, I was not seeing the strengths I am developing as an officer. Within a month, I found a deeper purpose that went far beyond snapping pictures; not just for me as an officer, but for the profession of arms.
People
Ultimately, our command, our staff, our Lieutenants, and our cadre here at the 2nd Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment (2-11 IN) steward the profession of arms. It is the public affairs officer’s job to show this to the rest of the Army. Families are often the bedrock of our support networks. By putting out content that shows them what their Soldiers go through on a day-to-day basis, we build their trust and support. Being able to recognize our people and showcase their talent is unique to our profession. From the demonstrating 2-11 IN BN mission to showing our cohesion and commitment, the responsibility that we hold for our Soldiers completes our Army mission.
The way we teach, coach, and mentor our Soldiers, how they learn to lead, and their attitude towards the Army starts here and follows them the rest of their careers. Our leadership changes the way these leaders react to everyone they encounter. Our Lieutenants go on to be leaders at all echelons. They can show their families the things they are doing every training week through our various platforms. Our families are supporting our every move. Nobody wants their parents and family to worry, continuously be out of the loop, or question what it is their sons and daughters do every day. Social media allows our organization to create a shared understanding among our people, our community, and those looking in.
Conclusion
Behind the camera, we are telling the stories, the mission, the commitment. The stories of our organization, the stories of our leaders, the stories of our Soldiers; their hardship, the sleepless nights, and their winning moments. As everyone always says: the internet is forever, thus the stories of our Soldiers are forever, and for generations to come.
1LT Haylee Gagnon is an Infantry Officer currently serving as the 2nd Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment Battalion Adjutant and Unit Public Affairs Officer.
