Point of Contact: Nancy L. Crook, Public Affairs Division Director Release No. 04-19
(904) 542-3168, extension 161
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 26, 2004

Depot public affairs team wins RADM Thompson Award
By Shelly Sikes Diaz, NAVAIR Depot, Jacksonville Public Affairs Specialist

Naval Air (NAVAIR) Depot Jacksonville’s Public Affairs Team recently won a Rear Admiral Thompson Award for Excellence in Public Affairs. The team won first place among large shore activities for their outstanding internal communications program.

The award marks the apex of an intensive effort to tailor the communication program to better meet the needs of a large, diverse workforce. NAVAIR Depot, Jacksonville employs over 4,000 civilians, military and contractors at a 102-acre facility. The team focused their efforts on improving communication between the commanding officer and employees in order to promote education, increase morale, and communicate policy information. The team has won the award or an honorable mention on four other occasions: 1993, 1996, 2000 and 2001.

Nancy Crook, public affairs officer, said the team used a combination of simple, old-fashioned ideas, new technology and brainpower. “We began by sending out surveys to every employee. The easiest way to learn what they needed was to ask. Every response was read by a public affairs specialist,” said Ms. Crook. She said the team, which she supervises, looked to technological advances to help out. For example, a weekly in-house news show was made available online via streaming video, in addition to the closed circuit televisions. “Our team worked hard to ensure that information was available to our employees in a useful format. It is an honor to have those efforts recognized,” she stated.

Captain David J. Beck, commanding officer, expressed his pride in the public affairs team. “I am very pleased that our public affairs team was honored in this way. Our public affairs office is filling a vital role, because it is critically important for employees to know what we are doing and why we are doing it,” said Beck. He went on to say that he knew the team would continue to build on its success.