An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : Media : News : News Article View
NEWS | Nov. 10, 2014

New York National Guard Public Affairs Team Tells the Story in Japan

By Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo New York National Guard

Four New York Army National Guard Public Affairs Soldiers plugged into a joint public affairs effort here to collect stories, photos and video from a joint U.S.-Japan exercise that kicked off Oct. 27 and ran through Nov. 7.

The New York public affairs element consisted of three members of the 138th Public Affairs Detachment and a representative from Joint Force Headquarters Public Affairs.

Along with the New Yorkers, the Orient Shield public affairs team included Army Soldiers from U.S. Army Japan and the 2nd Infantry Division; an Air Force Armed Forces News (AFN) Broadcaster stationed in Japan,and a Navy AFN journalist based in Guam said Lt. Col. Kevin Toner, U.S. Army Japan Public Affairs Officer.

Orient Shield 14 tested the ability of Japanese Ground Self- Defense Force members and American Soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis -McChord, Washington to work together as a team.

The public affairs team focused on highlighting the partnership and collaboration between the two forces as they conducted a series of combined light infantry, squad-level training events that included urban assault, building clearing and medical evacuation, to name a few.

The exercise culminated with troops working side-by-side in a scenario-based tactical field training exercise that included an air assault mission.

Collectively, the entire public affairs team produced 19 news articles, and a dozen broadcast pieces reaching more than 300 news and social media sites detailing the accomplishments of the U.S. Army and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

According to Toner, the mix of public affairs professionals from all branches meant better storytelling.

Although the team shares common training, their experiences in their respective forces brought different perspectives, he explained.

"Everyone learned new techniques and approaches to telling the Soldier story," Toner, said.

The New York public affairs team enjoyed working side-by-side with their JGSDF public affairs counterparts creating a 50-page electronic magazine for roughly 1,500 U.S. and JGSDF exercise participants, said Sgt. Jeremy Bratt, the team videographer.

"It was an amazing experience being able to work with our Japanese counterparts," said New York Army National Guard photojournalist Spc. Frank Cagnina. "It took us a couple of days to figure out how to communicate and with the help of an interpreter we were very successful."

"The experience the New York team brought both in print and broadcast capability was more than able to tackle the complexity and challenges of covering an exercise like this," said Capt. Kenneth Coleman, Public Affairs officer for the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.

"The amount of work they accomplished and the quality in which they did it was significant," he added.

 

CONNECT WITH USINDOPACOM
Facebook

Like Us
X
363,231
Follow Us

ENGAGE & CONNECT MORE WITH PACOM

                                                 

IN THE USINDOPACOM NEWS
Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With Minister of National Defence Judith Collins of New Zealand
Graphic intended for use as a placeholder for Statements and Press Releases without accompanying imagery.
March 25, 2024 - Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Ryder provided the following readout...

First of its kind deployment of Marine cyber forces to the INDO-PACOM Theater
Marines with Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command pose for photos in the cyber operations center at Lasswell Hall aboard Fort Meade, Maryland, Feb. 5, 2020. MARFORCYBER Marines conduct offensive and defensive cyber operations in support of United States Cyber Command and operate, secure and defend the Marine Corps Enterprise Network. This image is a photo illustration.
March 25, 2024 - Marines assigned to U.S. Marine Corps Forces Cyber Command deployed to Okinawa, Japan as part of the inaugural iteration of a new cyber rotational force concept...

15th MEU, USS Somerset Arrive for Third Iteration of Tiger TRIUMPH
U.S. Marines assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Sailors assigned to the amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD 25) march during the opening ceremony of Exercise Tiger TRIUMPH in Visakhapatnam, India, March 19, 2024. Tiger TRIUMPH is a U.S.-India tri-service amphibious exercise focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief readiness and interoperability. Tiger TRIUMPH enables U.S. and Indian Armed Forces to improve interoperability and bilateral, joint, and service readiness in the Indian Ocean region and beyond to better achieve mutual regional security objectives. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aidan Hekker)
March 25, 2024 - U.S. Marines and Sailors assigned to elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, embarked upon the amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD 25), arrived in Visakhapatnam, India to participate in the third iteration of...

Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting With President Wesley Simina of the Federated States of Micronesia
Graphic intended for use as a placeholder for Statements and Press Releases without accompanying imagery.
March 22, 2024 - Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout...

AUKUS Trilateral Statement
Graphic intended for use as a placeholder for Statements and Press Releases without accompanying imagery.
March 22, 2024 - The Honourable Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Australia; the Right Honourable Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom; and Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of Defense,...