Anyone who has watched a defencewatch video will know that SAF
SNCOs and officers, whilst adept at talking down to troops and
generally shouting alot, seem to melt into bluberring, stuttering
shades of their normal selves when they have a big black mike and
cam shoved into their faces.
Look for eg at this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB68p6fz3Wc
The 42 SAR CO, a major no less, is obviously in need of more media
training. He very clearly suffers from nervousness and can only
manage halting english. (edit:
Just had another look, another person interviewed, the 'Commander'
of 4 SAB is an LTC and he is worse than the Major)
(IMO the 3SG was great - he sounded confident and fluent)
Similarly, looking at the SAF Urban Ops video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yU2OgjmyDU),
we see an OC ( a capt I think) and a PS (IIRC 1SG) being
interviewed about SAF's urban Ops capability. They looked and
sounded really bad. More importantly, they sounded
unconvincing.
These videos have been put up on the net and are available for
viewing by just about anyone with an internet conenction. They very
clearly do not put the SAF in the best possible light. I think that
there is much improvement to be made here.
I would suggest that OCC and PS course include a module on handling
the media. If it already is being taught, then I have to say
someone somewhere is not doing their jobs because from what I have
seen these people need more coaching. Perhaps every battalion and
above should have a media liaison Officer. He, being part of the
unit, will know who is fit to appear before the camera and who
isn't. He can also be in charge of arranging media training for
those scheduled to appear on camera.
Some would of course argue that OCs should be taking on this role
already but it is apparent that they are not very good at it - in
the first video, only the 3SG appears fit to appear on camera. The
CPT. commanding a Bionix II looks the part but I haven't heard him
speak... Maybe a few more 'directives' should be let loose into the
SAF email system to remind OCs..?
Thoughts?!
[PS: You can submit this to GEMS and claim all the credit but keep
the thread updated on progress! - a portion of the prize money
would be nice too 
]
