News

Wing creates fan page on Facebook

  • Published
  • By Sandra Pishner
  • 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --  Social media. It's here, it's now, and it will even be available to you on the military network according to a recently issued Department of Defense policy.

The new DOD policy allowing access to social media from computers connected to the Defense Department's unclassified network was announced Feb. 26.  At this time, each service is reviewing the policy and how best to implement it.

That connection, when it happens, will make it a lot easier for Reservists in the 446th Airlift Wing, to visit the 446th AW's new Facebook Fan Page at: http://bit.ly/446AW-FanPage

Of course, it's not just Reservists who can become fans of the wing. Families, friends and strangers on the streets are invited to become fans as well.

The wing's official fan page site features informal postings, video posts, photos, and discussions. Fans will be able to add comments to the page, although they will not be able to post photos or videos.

And being an official wing fan page, there will be rules of decorum to follow to ensure it is a family-friendly site.

"We encourage people to post their comments, positive or negative," said Lt. Col. Anna Sullivan, 446th AW chief of Public Affairs. "But posts need be clean (no offensive language). We'll moderate the posts, but not censor them unless they are defamatory in nature."

Common sense will be the prevailing rule-of-thumb for postings, both on the 446th AW Facebook fan page, and really any social media outlet.

"Like any posting online, you participate at your own risk, taking personal responsibility for your comments, your username, and any information provided," said Philip Rhodes, Air Force Reserve Command social media strategist. "But that shouldn't scare people from participating. The power of Facebook and other social media sites lies in the interaction and community building."

Compared to their active-duty counterparts, Reservists are even more likely to use Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs, and other social media sites on a daily basis, according to Paul Bove, a social media strategist with the Air Force Public Affairs Agency. "Many social media sites aren't accessible on Air Force networks, but most Reservists have the ability to access these sites in their civilian jobs outside the military. If Reservists mirror society, they are very likely engaged in these new communication platforms."

As such, the following tips for using social media are geared toward Reservists:

 Don't give classified info: Operational security is crucial to the Air Force Reserve Command or wing mission. Reservists should avoid divulging classified, "For Official Use Only" and other sensitive materials.

 Stay in your lane: While Airmen are encouraged to share their Reserve story, they should only talk and post about information with which they are familiar. An aeromedical evacuation nurse can informatively talk about the aeromed mission, but could be out of line talking about legal issues in the Air Force Reserve.

 Don't lie: Credibility is critical the Air Force Reserve. Without credibility, no one cares what we have to say.

 Give your opinion: Airmen are encouraged to join the discussion in social media settings, but they should clearly indicate that their comments are their personal opinions, and not that of the Air Force, Air Force Reserve, or the 446th AW.

 Use common sense: Realize your words and images go out to thousands of people around the world. While it's OK to have fun, keep in mind your actions may reflect upon the Air Force Reserve. The 446th AW Public Affairs office can provide additional advice and guidance on specific social media interactions. If you have a photo or information you want to post but are unsure it's appropriate, just stop by the office in Bldg. 1214 and run it by the public affairs staff.

 Personal information: Be careful about divulging too much personal information online. Personal addresses, phone numbers and birth dates could aid identity thieves or the enemy. Keep OPSEC in mind when deciding what to share.

"Social media offers tremendous opportunity for the Air Force Reserve," said Lt. Col. Leslie Pratt, AFRC director of Public Affairs. "It doesn't replace traditional media relations, community relations and face-to-face communications, but social media lets us leverage our existing relationships and tell the Air Force story to millions more people. Reservists play a special role in sharing our message because they have part of their lives invested in the Air Force, in addition to their families and civilian pursuits. Reserve duty is part of a unique lifestyle. Social media lets them tell their story as well as the Air Force story which translates into a closer relationship with the public." (AFRC and AF News Service contributed to this story)