This post is going to sound obvious but unfortunately it needs to be written: comment on the obvious.
We can get pretty wrapped around the exact words to say. The people we provide advice to may get nervous around the media, especially if the engagement isn’t planned.
Each time we write general PAG we include the phrase, “you may confirm the obvious.”
That makes sense right? If the media is looking at something and they need comment, you can say, “yup, this is happening.”
We were doing some training in Texas. Some of our pyrotechnics set off a fire alarm which caused the fire department to respond. The fire department must have keyed the news. I was unprepared and the news reported about the event but said, “An Army Major would not comment.” What a dumbass I was.
How about when a significant event happens in combat: we kill a notable bad guy, we achieve a significant gain or something bad happens and it’s all over social media, sometimes even the host nation confirms it. Often we let the story spin, we let the narrative roll … without us, without comment. How about, “yep, we’re tracking the same reports and [forever lines].”
When the media knows something, just have a conversation.
