Air National Guard web managers meet at training center, work conversions

Photo By Master Sgt. Mike Smith | Tech. Sgt. Andrew Sinclair, a broadcaster assigned to the Maine Air National Guard’s 101st Air Refueling Wing, attends a website development class Feb. 8 at the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center in Louisville, Tenn. Around 100 public affairs Airmen and website experts were on campus this week for a workshop on the Armed Forces Public Information Management System. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith)  

LOUISVILLE, TN, UNITED STATES

02.07.2017

Story by Master Sgt. Mike Smith  

I.G. Brown Training and Education Center

LOUISVILLE, Tenn. – A big item on about 90 Air National Guard public affairs managers’ to-do lists this year – updating their websites – was the focus of discussion at the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center this morning, Feb. 7, at the start of a week-long web workshop.

There’s a goal to convert all Air National Guard 2.0-version public websites to the regular Air Force’s new look and 5.0 management system by the end of the month.

Experts on the Armed Forces Public Information Management System promised their support and training in breakout sessions, which will pave the way for the bases’ conversions. AFPIMS hosts more than 700 Department of Defense websites. More than 300 are Air Force websites, of which 90 are Air National Guard.

“Coming to the TEC is the most cost effective means to get the public affairs community all in one spot,” said Senior Master Sgt. Christopher Gillis, the Air National Guard’s functional area manager and career field manager for public affairs.

“The whole purpose of this is to get you proficient,” he said. “By the time we leave, you will have all of tools you need to execute in an effective and expedient manner on AFPIMS, not only in the websites but in your social media.”

Gillis predicted that capabilities and strategies presented on website and social media content will enhance the Air National Guard’s proficiency in public information overall.

“Additionally, this is the first workshop in more than seven years where our PA community can interact face-to-face and network as professionals,” said Gillis.

Department of Defense public web sites allow officials to keep communities and the general public informed through news releases, photography, social media, fact sheets, biographies and other publicly released information.

Acknowledging to the group that their bases’ web management was commonly challenged by manpower, the Air Force Public Web Program Chief, Charlotte Hu, said she was encouraged by recent manning changes as well as by the number of Airmen in attendance.

“Our migration for the ANG has gone amazing,” said Hu, who introduced the workshop’s half-dozen or so web and public affairs trainers.

“I’m really hoping that this week we get you guys to … the 21st Century, so that you can tell the Air Force story,” said Hu.

• Date Taken: 02.07.2017
• Date Posted: 02.07.2017 11:29
• Story ID: 222742
• Location: LOUISVILLE, TN, US