Photo By Lt. Col. Bryon McGarry | Armed Forces of Liberia 1st Lt. Dessaline Allison, Headquarters AFL public affairs...... read more read more
MONROVIA, LIBERIA - The Liberian Ministry of Defense’s assistant minister for public affairs served as keynote speaker for the graduation of 18 Armed Forces of Liberia soldiers from a four-day unit public affairs representative course provided by AFL and Operation ONWARD LIBERTY public affairs personnel at Camp Ware’s Armed Forces Training Command May 30.
Assistant minister David Dahn praised the course graduates for their hard work and charged them to tell the AFL story with conviction and excitement, so the Liberian people may know the virtues of soldiers’ service. “Be robust in promoting the AFL,” he said. “In your role as UPARs, you are trusted counsel to your leaders and a channel to show the public that the AFL is deserving of their trust and support.”
The course provided soldiers basic military journalism training and introductions to community engagement and media relations. It was the third iteration of cooperative AFL and OOL UPAR training provided to AFL soldiers since 2011.
ONWARD LIBERTY is a U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa-led operation comprised of joint U.S. service members who mentor and advise the AFL in order to develop a national military that is responsible, operationally capable and respectful of civilian authority and the rule of law. OOL’s goal is to assist the AFL in building a professional and capable military force that can effectively contribute to the overall security environment in Liberia.
AFL 1st Lt. Dessaline Allison, Headquarters AFL public affairs officer, said the training was invaluable to the public affairs career field and to the AFL. “As our young army grows in capability, capacity and professionalism, it’s imperative to tell our story along the way,” Allison said. “These soldiers have a primary MOS [military occupational specialty] already, and they’ve been singled out by their respective commanders as sharp troops that can handle the big responsibility of helping us tell the AFL story to the Liberian people and the world.”
AFL Pfc. Ansu Pelima, AFTC UPAR, said the writing and photography instruction showed him a different way to think about his primary role as an infantryman. “We are each taking on this role as an additional duty, but it’s more than that,” he said. “It’s allowing me to look at the big picture of what my unit is doing, and share that with the public. I’m able to share the interesting things I see every day with people who don’t see them.”
U.S. Air Force Capt. Bryon McGarry, OOL public affairs mentor, said he was impressed by the fervor with which the soldiers approached the course material. “The public affairs mission is critical to mission success, especially in the context of garnering public support, and I feel each of the participating soldiers recognized that and took the responsibility personally,” he said. “These soldiers’ commanders felt they displayed the aptitude and professional qualities conducive to representing their respective units well, and I’m confident that they’ll tell the AFL story proudly and capably.”
| Date Taken: | 05.30.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 06.06.2013 09:16 |
| Story ID: | 108149 |
| Location: | MONROVIA, LR |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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