Welcome to the exciting world of Public Affairs. Public Affairs Officers ("PAOs") have a tremendous responsibility within the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary. They are primary representatives and spokespersons of these organizations in contact with the public. They can communicate through the media or directly through public safety booths. They are trusted advisors to the unit's elected officer in matters of public affairs, and interact with most of the other appointed officers in promoting their programs inside and outside the Auxiliary.

This course is designed to provide your first overview of public affairs missions and programs. It is a prerequisite to the Auxiliary Public Affairs Specialist qualification.

This course is used by the Navy and Coast Guard at the entry level to ensure that public affairs personnel have a basic understanding of journalism. Although the text is used in the Coast Guard Public Affairs Specialist 2nd Class course (which you should have already completed), this course explores the material in a more systematic and thorough manner. This course is a prerequisite for the Auxiliary Public Affairs Specialist qualification.

This course is designed to prepare Coast Guard petty officers for the Public Affairs 2nd Class rating. It is a good introduction to Coast Guard Public Affairs and a prerequisite for completion of the Auxiliary Public Affairs Specialist qualification.

This course was recently revised and the new course is currently in development on AUX E-Learn. If you begin this course before the new course is completed, you are grandfathered into it and may complete it for credit toward your Auxiliary Public Affairs Specialist qualification. If you prefer, you can take the new course, but you will be limited to the development time of the course developer.

This course is used by the Navy and Coast Guard at the  advance level to ensure that public affairs personnel have a basic understanding of journalism. Although the text is used in the Coast Guard Public Affairs Specialist 1st Class and Chief course (which you should have already completed), this course explores the material in a more systematic and thorough manner. This course is a prerequisite for the Auxiliary Public Affairs Specialist qualification.

The bible of Public Affairs is the USCG Public Affairs Manual, COMDINST M5728.2C, released December 2001.  This course will take you thorough the Manual, and will quiz you about sections that as an Auxiliary Public Affairs Staff Officer you should be most knowledgeable about.

Please Note: As a PAO, you should only discuss (either verbally or written) topics for which you have first hand knowledge. It is perfectly acceptable to tell a Reporter you a) don't know, or b) not at liberty to discuss because of Coast Guard Policy vis a vis [Fill in the reason].

Appropriate use of photography is essential in public affairs. This course was developed to train Coast Guard Auxiliary public affairs people the basics of digital photography. This course was developed totally within the Coast Guard Auxiliary Public Affairs National Staff.