CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
In an effort to increase Air Force strategic communication capabilities, the service merged Charleston's Public Affairs and Visual Information Multimedia offices to become one team July 1.
"Today's communication environment is dynamic and demanding," said Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Air Force chief of staff. "We must leverage our capabilities to capture and rapidly distribute accurate, timely and focused information to consistently tell our Air Force story."
This merge will increase the office's effectiveness to tell the Team Charleston mission.
"This is a great opportunity to combine two great offices into one all-star strategic communications team," said Capt. Christopher Moore, chief of the 437 AW Public Affairs office. "We think this merge will allow us to create some amazing products for both our internal Air Force and public audiences."
The Visual Information Multimedia Center, still located in building 302 on the third floor, will continue to support video and photo requests with the submission of an official Air Force IMT 833, multimedia work order. This will include the support of all the same areas on base as before. The office still has photo and video equipment for check out as well.
"Ultimately the merge makes sense," said 437 AW/PA multimedia manager David Williams. "In the future it will save money, broaden career fields and give VI and PA individuals more opportunities."
Realigning of these two functional areas will help build a versatile communication capability for Charleston. Highlighting more of the mission is the initiative for all Air Mobility Command PA offices.
"I'd like to see VI and PA synergize their skills," said AMC functional career field manager Chief Master Sgt. Catharine Segal. "PA can tell the story by words and VI can bring the images."
Chief Segal said with these two offices combined this should help improve the way AF messages are being delivered.
"Public support for what we do is vitally important to our Air Force," said Captain Moore. "When we have the capability to cover a story with journalists, photographers and videographers, there's no limit to the exposure we can garner for our Team Charleston warriors."
Oct. 31 2007 some bases have already merged offices and the results have been good so far.
"We're already seeing positive results from the merger," said Brig. Gen. Michelle Johnson, director of Air Force PA. "Our messages are beginning to receive levels of clarity not previously seen, and our planning and operations are steadily increasing."