I was selected to be the Deputy Director for National Guard Public Affairs, in part, based on the partnerships and relationships I built while assigned to my previous position on the Office of the Secretary of Defense staff. In that position, I established reliable and influential contacts with all seven reserve components of the military representing 1.2 million men and women around the world. I also influenced and negotiated with political appointees, principals, and staffers within the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security. After the attacks of September 11, 2001, I worked closely with the new Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and the newly created United States Northern Command. I also coordinated on a regular basis with the Department of Defense Legislative Liaison as the resident expert on National Guard and Reserve matters, as they briefed and educated members of Congress at a dynamic time in our nation’s history. These proved to be invaluable coalitions as I transitioned back to the National Guard.
My first assigned task in July 2004 was to educate and inform target audiences and stakeholders, as well as potential adversaries, on National Guard homeland defense and homeland security capabilities. In order to be effective, I needed to build both internal and external coalitions. I needed to work at both the intergovernmental and the interagency levels. I needed to build consensus among both governmental and non-governmental organizations. It was essential to work hand in hand with my legislative liaison and my leadership. I began by orchestrating a homeland defense conference that first month with all of these audiences invited. I began with a strategic overview of how, collectively, we could have a far-reaching positive impact on the defense and security of the United States for many years to come. Then I went to work, sometimes collaboratively, other times exclusively, to gain cooperation and consensus form each party to achieve my institutional objectives.
I developed a program called “Deterrence Media Coverage” among our 54 state and territory public affairs officers. The purpose was to inspire them to publish articles on a weekly basis that demonstrated increased homeland defense preparedness and deters those adversaries from attacking our homeland. At the national level, I track this on a color coded map reflecting green for coverage in the current week, yellow within the last two weeks, and red for anything older. The system serves as a report card of sorts and keeps the team focused on a common goal. After three years of this program, working in collaboration with the states, we have worked with the media to generate more than 120,000 articles, and deterred an immeasurable number of threats.
During this time period, I have also designed and presented many media training courses for National Guard leadership across the nation. This served two purposes in support of my strategic objective. I was able to ensure that they speak with one voice on the issue, and I was able to influence their support to their public affairs staffs and subordinate goals. I have received numerous letters of appreciation and earned top presentation scores for these training events.
I also worked closely, representing the National Guard, with the founding members of the Department of Homeland Security public affairs staff. Together, we established monthly homeland defense meetings and ultimately the National Incident Communication Coordination Line, a telephone conference call at the outset of any emergency designed to ensure we speak with one voice, share information, and build upon strategic relationships. This process is now at the heart of the External Affairs function of the National Response Plan. During this time period, I received a letter of appreciation from then Secretary Tom Ridge.
On a daily basis I work extremely closely with our Legislative Liaison, drafting all of their messages for use with Congress, attending their meetings and conferences and inviting them to mine. I have drafted and presented briefings to the Commission on National Guard and Reserves, the Government Accountability Office, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Federal Emergency Management Agencies, and countless other organizations. And the list continues to grow. Recently, the Public Affairs Director for the American Red Cross approached our office to learn about our successes in deployed public affairs operations and to build an alliance.
A specific example of how I network with diverse organizations and political realities is my work with Operation Jump Start, the Presidentially directed National Guard support to the United States Customs and Border Patrol along the Southwest border. This mission relied upon effective relationships between our organization, the White House, Congress, the National Security Council, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Patrol, four Adjutants General and four Governors. Each came to the table with their own equities and their own concerns. Moreover, many associations and public audiences, on both sides of the border, made their voices clear on the issue. Once again, I built off relationships I had been expanding upon for years to develop a public affairs guidance that achieved the goals of my institution and still incorporated those others who held a vested interest. Despite election year strategies and a variety of pundits, the overall media coverage has been overwhelmingly balanced to positive, especially in regards to the National Guard.
Three times a year I brought together most of these audiences, always my legislative liaison counterpart, to a public affairs training workshop, twice in the Washington D. C. area and once regionally. Each succeeding year the list of desiring attendees continues to grow, and we continue to draw more prominent speakers.
As Deputy Director of Public Affairs at FEMA I have built coalitions not only at the federal level working the National Response Framework, National Incident Management System, and the national Disaster Housing Strategy, but I have also extended those coalitions to state and local partners in hurricane response, recovery, and housing issues. I further coordinate within the agency to ensure a coalition of synchronized messaging among public affairs, legislative affairs, intergovernmental affairs, international affairs and private sector. Based on my performance in this regard, I have been entrusted to also serve as the Acting Director of Public Affairs and often serve as a back-up to the Deputy and director of the broader Office of External Affairs.
Stoneking Strategic Communications (SSC) 