Public Relations in the Military: The Scope, Dynamic, and Future of Military Communications

This book takes an in-depth look at the function of public relations as it exists in the U.S. military in the 21st Century.

There have been several books and journal articles covering the military/media relationship but none that delve into breadth and depth of the responsibilities of today’s military public affairs officer. This book discusses the concept and foundations of military public affairs (relations), the changing strategic landscape in communications, operational planning and execution and the people who practice military public affairs.

The goal is to broaden knowledge and understanding of this vital, but little discussed, area of public relations among civilian and military public relations and communications professionals, faculty and staff in public relations programs, military leaders, as well as the U.S. civilian populace, and research scholars specializing in military public relations or public affairs operations.

Bob “Pritch” Pritchard, APR, Fellow PRSA, Captain, U.S. Navy (Retired), is a crisis communications expert and long-time leader in Public Relations Student Society of America and the Public Relations Society of America.

Mari K. Eder, Maj. Gen., USA (Ret.), is a retired Army Public Affairs Officer, strategic communications expert and prolific author and speaker on the art of communications.

Kim Marks Malone, APR, Fellow PRSA, Commander, U.S. Navy (Ret.), is an accredited PR professional, a retired Navy Public Affairs officer, a part-time PR consultant, and a full-time Public Relations Professor and adviser for PRSSA and Meeman 901 Strategies, a student-run strategic communication firm, at the University of Memphis.

Matthew Kroll, Commander, US Coast Guard, is an award-winning, senior public affairs officer and communications professor. He specializes in crisis communications and led public information teams for multiple national-level incidents.

Katie Cousins, Maj., U.S Air Force (Veteran), is also a wife, mother, and communication leader with experience in military public affairs, government strategic communication and corporate communications.

Skye Martin, APR+M, Maj., USMC, is a Marine Corps Communication Strategy and Operations officer with a broad range of experience in military communication planning and evaluation, media engagement and community relations, and teaching and mentoring military officers as a Public Affairs and Communication Strategy instructor at the ¬Defense Information School.