Instructors from the Division of Military & Naval Affairs for the State of New York recently held a public affairs workshop for troops in the Public Affairs division of the New York Guard (State Defense Force).
DMNA Public Affairs led workshop for NYG during Annual Training
Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, NY.
By Warrant Officer 1 Ed Shevlin- New York Guard Public Affairs Office
New York Guard members got a quick class on telling stories with words and pictures during a public affairs workshop held during annual training at Camp Smith Training site in Cortlandt Manor on September 13, 2021.
Eric Durr, the Director of Public Affairs for the Division of Military and Naval Affairs shared tips on photography and writing techniques and standards used by the military to disseminate information to the public. In a meeting at the Duffey Chapel Durr provided the Public Affairs and Recruiting and Retention teams with valuable insights, while also cautioning them against pitfalls.
Eric Durr, the Director of Public Affairs for the Division of Military and Naval Affairs, talks about proper photography framing during a Public Affairs workshop held for the New York Guard during their annual training in September 2021. (Photo by New York Guard WO1 Edward Shevlin)
“We use our voice in diverse ways. Sometimes we speak to ourselves within the military different, and sometimes we forget this when writing or addressing the public. In many cases, readers will not understand the acronyms and abbreviations,” Durr said.
This message was not lost on Staff Sergeant Kris Bateman who serves as a recruiter for the 10th Area Command.
“There are people in the military, such as new recruits, who might struggle with the terminology. For recruiters, simpler language is preferable when we are trying to attract new members,” Bateman said.
When speaking about photography, Durr made it clear that, “a photo should tell a story; two people standing together doing nothing tells us nothing.”
2nd Lieutenant Mchael Rehbaum, a member of the 10th Area Command agreed.
“I think for the photojournalistic style [Durr is] spot on. We need to teach people to tell the story with photographs,” Rehbaum said.
Eric Durr, the Director of Public Affairs for the Division of Military and Naval Affairs, answers questions during a Public Affairs workshop held for the New York Guard during their annual training in September 2021. (Photo by New York Guard WO1 Edward Shevlin)
Durr’s presentation was engaging and informative as he showed examples of both illustrative, contrasted with boring photos which do nothing to advance the narrative.
Those in attendance enjoyed the presentation, which was hallmarked by Durr’s easy-going manner and obvious enthusiasm for the subject.
“We are very thankful for the support that we receive from the DMNA and appreciate Mr. Durr taking time out of his busy schedule to share his knowledge with us. Our Public Affairs teams will benefit greatly from the lessons they learned during the workshop”, said Cpt Mark Getman, the NY Guard Director of Public Affairs.
Eric Durr, the Director of Public Affairs for the Division of Military and Naval Affairs, talks about proper image captioning during a Public Affairs workshop held for the New York Guard during their annual training in September 2021. (Photo by New York Guard WO1 Edward Shevlin)
