News>Air Force awarded top honors for excellence in public relations
Photos
Gary McCormick (center left), the chairman and chief executive officer of the Public Relations Society of America, presents the "Best of Silver Anvil" Award to Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin C. Conaton June 3, 2010, during the PRSA's annual Silver Anvil Awards Ceremony at the Equitable Tower in New York City. Also in attendance to receive the award on behalf of the Air Force were, left to right, Lt. Col. Jara Lang, Maj. Paul Villagran, Col. Bob Edmondson, Col. Les Kodlick, Maj. Mike Andrews, Lt. Col. Kimberly Tebrugge, and Staff Sgt. Jamie George. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Erik Cardenas)
Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin C. Conaton and Col. Les Kodlick, director of Air Force Public Affairs, look on as Col. Bob Edmondson, Air Force Mortuary Affairs commander, speaks to more than four hundred public relations professionals after receiving the 2010 "Best of Silver Anvil" Award June 3, 2010, during the Public Relations Society of America's annual Silver Anvil Awards Ceremony at Equitable Tower in New York City. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Erik Cardenas)
Col. Les A. Kodlick, director of Air Force Public Affairs, presents remarks after receiving the 2010 "Best of Silver Anvil" Award June 3, 2010, during the Public Relations Society of America's annual Silver Anvil Awards Ceremony at the Equitable Tower in New York City. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Erik Cardenas)
James J. Roop, Silver Anvil committee chairman, presents Col. Bob Edmondson, Air Force Mortuary Affairs commander, the Silver Anvil Award for Issues Management in the Government category June 3, 2010, during the Public Relations Society of America's annual Silver Anvil Awards Ceremony at the Equitable Tower in New York City. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Erik Cardenas)
More than 400 people attended the Public Relations Society of America's 2010 Silver Anvil Awards Banquet June 3, 2010, at the Equitable Tower in New York City. The U.S. Air Force was the recipient of the "Best of Silver Anvil" and a Silver Anvil in the Issue Management, Government award category. The Air Force won the "Best of Silver Anvil" Award for developing a people-focused media program that honored the fallen and cared for their families, while simultaneously providing media the opportunity to cover this solemn process and provide transparency into the human cost of war. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Erik Cardenas)
The Public Relations Society of America's Silver Anvil committee considered more than 800 nominees and presented 134 awards to public relations professionals from around the country June 3, 2010, during their annual awards ceremony at the Equitable Tower in New York City. The Air Force was chosen as the 2010 "Best of Silver Anvil" Award recipient. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Erik Cardenas)
by Tech. Sgt. Rebecca Zannetti
3rd Combat Camera Squadron
6/4/2010 - MANHATTAN, N.Y. (AFNS) -- The U.S. Air Force received top honors June 3 at the Public Relations Society of America's annual Silver Anvil Awards Ceremony at the Equitable Tower in New York City. This is the first time the Air Force has received the PRSA's most esteemed, "Best of Silver Anvil" Award, recognized as the civilian community's established icon of "best of the best" public relations practices.
The Air Force received the 2010 Silver Anvil award for its winning submission, "A Solemn View: Public Affairs Provides a Window to American Service Members' Ultimate Sacrifice," a program to facilitate media coverage of "dignified transfers," where servicemembers killed in combat are returned to American soil with dignity, honor and respect. In addition, the Air Force won a Silver Anvil Award in the Issues Management, Government subcategory.
More than 400 people were in attendance for the event including Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin C. Conaton, who accepted the award on behalf of the U.S. Air Force. Also attending were Col. Les A. Kodlick, director of Air Force Public Affairs, and Col. Robert Edmondson, Air Force Mortuary Affairs commander, .
"I want to thank the Public Relations Society of America for recognizing the Air Force Office of Public Affairs and its tremendous record of success in this no-fail mission," said Ms. Conaton. "It is a solemn process that ensures dignity, honor and respect for the fallen, and also provides care, service and support to family members, while allowing the media to give the public considerate insight into the human cost of war. The work that Air Force Mortuary Affairs and Public Affairs do with dignified transfers, and the media's coverage of them, is important to the Air Force, the Depart of Defense and the nation."
The Air Force was selected as the best amongst 134 public relations programs nominated for the award. The award honors organizations, both civilian and government, who successfully addressed a contemporary public relations issue with exemplary professional skill, creativity and resourcefulness. The Silver Anvils are regarded as the preeminent achievement of public relations, the highest watermark of success for any practitioner.
After an 18-year ban on media coverage, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced a new policy in 2009 allowing media to cover dignified transfers with permission from family members. With little lead time, a group of Air Force public affairs professionals took the lead and developed a people-focused media program in 27 days that honored the fallen and cared for their families, while simultaneously providing the media the opportunity to cover this solemn process and provide the public a clear view into the human cost of war. In the first year of the new policy, 471 dignified transfers were conducted at Dover AFB with more than half covered by the media.
"This program is a great success," Colonel Edmondson said. "The award is not only special because it recognizes public affairs, but recognizes and preserves the dignity and care for the families. It's incredibly satisfying to see our public affairs professionals when they are on the ground doing the mission and then getting recognized for their hard work."
More than 800 Silver Anvil Award entries were considered, including Fortune 500 companies such as Volkswagen of America, General Mills, American Airlines, Xerox Corporation, Starbucks and Sprint. Awards were presented in 59 categories and subcategories honoring individual accomplishment, tactical excellence and achievement in specialized practice areas.
"Receiving the Silver Anvil is a huge testament to the skill, expertise and professionalism for every Public Affairs professional in the Air Force," said Colonel Kodlick. "It's those Airmen who touched this mission, who were involved and whose involvement was with great distinction. At the end of the day, they were honoring the fallen, those who paid the ultimate price, with respect to their families. I couldn't be more proud of our team."
(Maj. Tom Knowles and Capt. Amber Millerchip, 3rd Combat Camera Squadron, contributed to this article.)
Comments
6/4/2010 10:18:42 PM ET This award honors the pride, professionalism and commitment each of our Mortuary Affairs Airmen brings to the table, and the dignity our Public Affairs team enables to shine through when media are allowed to tell this vital story. This is a combined success story that is borne out of tragedy. Each of the professionals, and that is not a trite label, honors those who have given their last full measure. We all honor them, miss them, and pray for their families -- but these Airmen are on the front lines making it happen with unflagging professionalism and humility. I salute each of you as you humbly accept this recognition in honor of those who've fallen and their families.
Chief Ty Foster, Hurlburt Field FL
6/4/2010 9:26:40 PM ET This is nothing short of an amazing accomplishment for Air Force public affairs. The dedicated Air Force PA professionals who day in and out dig through the many challenges and opportunities related to accurately and fairly telling the Air Force story have shown their metal they are finally and rightfully recognized as the best of the best And Cols. Kodlick and Lang, and Majs. Andrews and Villagran are superb representatives of AF PA. Each lives and breathes the Airman's story. Tell and told like it is.
