September 11 Terror Attacks
On Sept. 11, 2001, I was the chief of media relations at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. The base was located in the center of the 5th and 19th largest U.S. media markets (San Francisco and Sacramento). We also owned most of the aircraft that were allowed to fly in American airspace in the days immediately following the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
- Skilled multitasker -- Within two hours of the attack, I was in the office, taking calls from national news media, while simultaneously writing and coordinating our initial news release.
- Skilled decision-maker -- I quickly assembled a team of public affairs-trained staff to handle the massive number of news media queries. During the first few days following the 9/11 attacks, the team and I responded to 200 to 300 media queries per day. We received queries from major U.S. and international news media, as well as regional and local news organizations.
- Trusted spokesperson -- During the first few days following the 9/11 attacks, I was my organization's lead spokesperson. I conducted dozens of on- and off-camera news media interviews.
- Multitalented public affairs professional-- In the month following the attack, I wrote, coordinated, and distributed dozens of press releases. Additionally, I planned and led dozens of live news media events that attracted print, television, and radio news media from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose, and Sacramento.
- Award-wining public affairs professional -- Because of my actions following the 9/11 attacks, our Public Affairs Office earned a headquarters-level award for "Best Media Relations" program.
Supporting American Wounded Warriors
During a two-week media escort mission to Afghanistan, I worked with an NBC Nightly News team (Lester Holt) to gain favorable coverage of the U.S. military's aeromedical evacuation mission.
- I arranged interviews with Air Force subject matter experts and senior leaders.
- I assisted the NBC News team in securing military transportation throughout Afghanistan.
- I traveled with the news team aboard a U.S. military aeromedical evacuation flight from Afghanistan to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. During the flight, I arranged interviews with wounded U.S. servicemembers, military medical professionals, and aircrew members. I provided public affairs counsel and impromptu media training, as needed.
- My work helped showcase, to the world, the extraordinary lengths to which the U.S. military will go to save our injured American servicemembers.
Managing a Multinational Press Desk
During a seven-month deployment to Baghdad, Iraq, I led a four-person public affairs team in a high-stress wartime environment. As the noncommissioned officer in charge of the Western Press Desk, we were the number one source of news and information for U.S. and Coalition operations.
- My team responded to more than 3,000 news media queries.
- We wrote and distributed more than 500 press releases and media advisories highlighting U.S. military operations in Iraq.
- Additionally, I singlehandedly wrote more than 150 daily update articles that were featured on the primary website for U.S. military operations in Iraq.