Dear Jenna

                                                                                                                           

18 January 2011

Jenna,                                                                                        

            You recently asked me what my major is and what I intend to do with it for a career.  I tried to provide the best response I could at the time, however, it didn’t sit well with me.  This letter is my attempt to better help you understand what a public relations specialist is and how I intend to use it throughout my life.

            What a PR Specialist is not is a truth spinner.  This individual’s job hangs in the balance on how they represent their company or client.  If they do so in a manner that is deceiving or untruthful, it reflects poorly on them and their employer.  Neither of which is a desired outcome.

            A PR specialist also isn’t just a “people person”.  There is much more to not just good communication, but great communication.  The ability to persuade as to have people change a behavior is needed.  The understanding that sometimes people need the truth, no matter the outcome, but, to also understand that even though people scream for the truth, it is better it comes out in time.  Understanding the ever changing flow of media how to flow with it is the bread and butter of a PR specialist.  Also, a PR specialist is nothing if they cannot effectively communication with the written word.  Much of what is done is using a bunch of characters and symbols, placing them in a flowing form, and communicating in such a way to obtain a desired outcome or change in behavior.

            For myself, my desire is to utilize all of these abilities and traits of a PR specialist for the United States Air Force.  As a future Public Affairs Officer, I will utilize all of the aforementioned but also much more.  The nature of a PA Officer is to be able to use all forms of media to obtain a desired end.  Whether it be meeting with the media regarding something on base, putting out a statement about a downed pilot, or working with a commander of a base and advising him/her on how best to work the local government where I’m deployed.  All talents and abilities that belong to a PR specialist will have to be my hammer and nail so I can build anything that is asked.  That also means setting up activates on base or in the local community to also build a relationship of trust between the protector and the protected.

            I hope that this broadens your understanding of what a PR specialist does and the ever growing need for them. 

Sincerely,

            Tom