Air Force Public Affairs Agency

The Air Force Public Affairs Agency is a field operating agency headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas.

Mission
Provide premier combat camera, video production, program management, and unique communication capabilities to advance global Air Force and DoD missions.

Vision
Advance diverse Public Affairs capabilities through innovation and expertise.

Organization
The Air Force Public Affairs Agency (AFPAA) is a Field Operating Agency which reports directly to the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for Public Affairs in the Pentagon, Washington DC.  The AFPAA headquarters is comprised of two directorates, the Directorates of Staff and Operations. Additionally, AFPAA provides operational control over one combat camera squadron and two audiovisual squadrons. AFPAA also provides administrative control over four SAF/PA operating locations. The Directorate of Staff includes financial management, Internet Technology support, knowledge operations, logistics, and personnel and training. The Directorate of Operations oversees Air Force branding and trademark licensing, Air Force public web, and Air Force Visual Information programs.  Additionally, AFPAA manages the Public Affairs career field development course writers and the aerial photographer program, and serves as the Functional Area Manager for all Air Force Combat Camera (COMCAM) forces.

The agency oversees the 1st Combat Camera Squadron (CTCS), which is located at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina. COMCAM provides senior U.S. government officials with a directed imagery capability in support of strategic, operational and planning requirements during wartime operations, worldwide crises, contingencies, joint exercises and humanitarian operations. The 1st CTCS also provides administrative and logistical support to two subordinate operating locations at Hurlburt Field, Florida and March Air Reserve Base, Calif.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Amanda Dick takes photos of a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft during the Northern Edge Premier Joint Training Exercise, June 13, 2011, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Sergeant Dick is an Air Force Public Web representative with the Air Force Public Affairs Agency at Port San Antonio, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Lakisha A. Croley)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Amanda Dick takes photos of a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft during the Northern Edge Premier Joint Training Exercise, June 13, 2011, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Sergeant Dick is an Air Force Public Web representative with the Air Force Public Affairs Agency at Port San Antonio, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Lakisha A. Croley)
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U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Brittany Yates, 366th Healthcare Operations Squadron medical logistics techinician, takes a photo Feb. 10, 2020, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Yates spent the day working as a Public Affairs Airman to better understand how other agencies on base contribute to the overall mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Andrew Kobialka)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Brittany Yates, 366th Healthcare Operations Squadron medical logistics techinician, takes a photo Feb. 10, 2020, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Yates spent the day working as a Public Affairs Airman to better understand how other agencies on base contribute to the overall mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Andrew Kobialka)
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U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Brittany Yates, 366th Healthcare Operations Squadron medical logistics techinician, takes a photo Feb. 10, 2020, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Yates spent the day working as a Public Affairs Airman to better understand how other agencies on base contribute to the overall mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Andrew Kobialka)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Brittany Yates, 366th Healthcare Operations Squadron medical logistics techinician, takes a photo Feb. 10, 2020, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Yates spent the day working as a Public Affairs Airman to better understand how other agencies on base contribute to the overall mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Andrew Kobialka)
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The agency oversees a second COMCAM squadron, the 4th CTCS, the only COMCAM unit in the Air Force Reserve Command, when activated under Title 10 authority. The 4th CTCS is co-located with 1st CTCS at Joint Base Charleston as a Classic Associate Unit.

The agency oversees two audiovisual squadrons: The 2d Audiovisual Squadron located at Hill AFB, Utah and the 3d Audiovisual Squadron located at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The audiovisual squadrons primarily provide video productions to senior DoD and AF leaders with cinematic level video production products.

The agency provides administrative and logistical support to four field offices across the United States. These include a command information branch at the Pentagon; the public affairs assignment managers at the Air Force Personnel Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas; the Air Force Media Engagement Office in New York City; and the Air Force Entertainment Liaison Office in Los Angeles.

Combined, all AFPAA offices and units encompass representatives from all specialties within the public affairs career field, and are charged with being Air Force lead agents for a multitude of public affairs responsibilities including:  Providing imagery documentation of Air Force warfighter and humanitarian relief missions; audiovisual production support; the public affairs visual information equipment purchasing program; the public web program; the branding and trademark licensing program, and serving as the Air Force’s primary liaison to both the Defense Media Activity's Defense Video and Imagery Distribution System and the American Forces Public Information Management System. Additionally, the agency serves as the sole force provider for COMCAM forces in the Air Force and also provides career field support through the development of career development courses.

History
AFPAA traces its roots to June 1, 1978, with the activation of the Air Force Service Information and News Center. The center was redesignated as the Air Force News Center April 1, 1990 and became a field operating agency February 5, 1991. It was redesignated to the Air Force News Agency August 1, 1991 before its redesignation to the Air Force Public Affairs Agency October 1, 2008. The agency achieved full operational capability June 3, 2013.

(Current as of July 2018)