Operational Definitions
0000Value is defined as the commander's understanding and appreciation of public based on "belief" or facts that he or she has of the PAO mission (knowledge of fact or policy regarding public affairs) and on opinion that he or she has on PAO worth (degree of worth placed on PAO to help accomplish unit mission. Integration is the degree of which the use of PA corresponds to policy; coordinated efforts in support of unit mission. Integration is dependent on the degree of value the commander places on PA.
Rationale
0000Public affairs officers and specialists perform their PAO mission based on their understanding of DOD and service-unique regulations and directives in conjunction with commanders' guidance. One of the main problems perceived by PAOs is when commanders lack the understanding and appreciation of the PAO; they fail to incorporate them into the planning and execution of the mission. But even more important is why the commanders feel the way they do about public affairs. Is it because there has been a lack of training, both formal and informal? Or is their opinion based on bad experience from PA personnel or PA activities? Perhaps it is based on a media interview that went bad and the commander blames it on his PAO? Whatever the problems are, they need to be identified and solved to allow PAOs more involvement in the planning and execution phases of the overall mission. The goal is that the findings of this study will allow PAOs to better understand the mindset of commanders and why they feel positively or negatively toward public affairs. Understanding this will allow PAOs to use persuasion techniques to convince their commanders of their worth both internally and externally to the overall mission.
0000Previous studies have looked at either a commander's perception of a public affairs officer or a public affairs officer's perception of the commander's perception. This study proposes that both variables must be looked at in the same study. Additionally, both variables should be from the same command. For example, when surveying a commander, you should also survey the corresponding public affairs officer to be able to establish a more accurate correlation. Whereas previous studies have only looked at a commander's perceptions or a PAO's perception of a commander's perceptions of public affairs, this study will do both and also look at why a commander has the perception he or she has toward public affairs personnel and activities in relation to education, experience, and examples. To determine levels of value is important but falls short of getting to the root of why those values are held. This study hopes to help determine why commanders have a particular degree of level of value. In determining why value is high or low, efforts can be made to increase or sustain value levels. The following research questions are proposed.
0000RQ1: What level of value do commanders have of public affairs?
0000RQ2: What is the correlation between value of PA and the integration of PA by 0000the commander?
0000RQ3: What are the reasons commanders give for the degree of value they hold 0000for PAO?
0000RQ4: To what extent does education, experience, and examples related to a 0000commander's perceived value of PAO?
0000RQ5: To what extent do PAOs perceive internal resistance from commanders in 0000integrating public affairs work and counsel into their unit's operations?