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My
life as a
Navy
Public Affairs Specialist...
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or,
"JOs: First to GO,
Last
to KNOW..."
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The
Job:
| My enlisted job
specialty (or "rating") was Journalist (JO) -- a public affairs specialist.
Sailors in my rating
write news stories & press releases; publish magazines, shipboard and
ashore newspapers, newsletters & familygrams.
Normally, JOs are
assigned as assistants to Navy public affairs offices ashore or afloat. |
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| In some cases, senior
JOs (JO1, JOC, JOCS or JOCM) take on the responsibility of Public Affairs
Officer (PAO) in lieu of assigning an actual commissioned public affairs
officers (designator 165X).
Journalists are also
trained to take & process still and motion picture film, and operate
electronic news gathering (ENG) equipment. Other sub-specialties
in the JO rating are: motion picture/television scriptwriter, photojournalist,
radio/TV broadcast specialist & broadcast station manager.
Besides knowledge
in general public affairs skills, my primary classification was radio/TV
broadcast specialist (NEC 3221). For most of my career I worked as
a TV & radio producer, writer, videographer, editor & announcer
at Armed Forces Radio & Television Stations in Japan, Okinawa &
Australia.
I also served on
the public affairs staff of two major Pacific Fleet commands. I wrote
articles, took still photographs, processed 35mm film and published newspapers
at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, and at my final duty station at Naval Air
Station Miramar. |
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So,
how'dya get there?
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I was always a bit
of a ham at heart. Dabbled in a bit of drama, writing, photography,
jamming with budz on guitar -- stuff that eventually helped me in
my trade. I also spent time learning the broadcast business as a
work-study & an Explorer in high school.
A majority of what
I learned was as a student at the Defense
Information School (DINFOS), formerly located at Ft. Benjamin Harrison,
Indiana near Indianapolis. All military public affairs & broadcast
specialists receive their primary training at DINFOS before assignments
to Armed Forces Network stations, public affairs offices, base newspapers,
media archives & photo labs. With the closure of Ft. Harrison in the
early 1990s, the school is now located at Ft.
George Meade, Maryland.
I've had many great
military and civilian teachers and mentors along the way. To them,
I am extremely grateful for the knowledge, guidance and wisdom they've
passed to me. |
Serving
those who serve...
| I was affiliated
with the Armed Forces Radio &
Television Service (AFRTS) for more than half of my Navy career;
providing information & entertainment to Sailors, Marines, Soldiers,
Airmen, DoD civilians, State Department personnel & their families
overseas |
 |
I've created
personal webpages dedicated to my two favorite stations I had the honor
to serve at during my career:
RETURN
TO JON'S NAVY PAGE
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