Summary
Plans, organizes, coordinates, and conducts command information, community engagement, and media operations activities. Engages in digital and print photojournalism, to include photographing, writing, editing, and managing content for base websites and other social media platforms, periodicals, guides, pamphlets, and fact sheets.
Provides operational war fighting documentation, supports Air Force [or DOD] communication efforts by preparing material for use by internal and external audiences, and conducts broadcast, production operations and graphic illustrations.
Captures, stores, enhances, crops, captions, prints, or transmits audio, video, and still imagery through secure and unsecure systems. Prepares and releases news for internal audiences and media, arranges and conducts tours, and other community engagement activities. Researches and writes speeches. Documents visual history of the Air Force mission.
Technical School
Days: 77
Locations: Fort George Meade, Maryland
Other Names
3N0X2, Broadcast Journalist, 3N0X5, Photojournalist, PA
Bonus
4-Year Bonus: None
6-Year Bonus: $5,000
Badge
Public Affairs Badge
Duty Identifier
PA Duty Identifier
CTCS Duty Identifier
Clearance
None
Open Aptitude Category
General
AFSC Entry Requirements
Demographics
Males: 764
Females: 468
Total: 1232
Community College of the Air Force Degree
Military Technology & Applied Sciences Management
CCAF Degree Plan
AFSC YouTube Videos
AFSC Reddit Posts
Duties and Responsibilities
Prepares, edits, and distributes public affairs program material. Determines best medium and message content to reach key audiences.
Advises commanders at all levels and their staffs on the internal, media operations, and community engagement implications of plans, policies, and programs. Applies communication theory and techniques to public affairs activities for most effective resource use.
Prepares and releases news and imagery for internal and public audiences. Establishes procedures for collecting, evaluating, and distributing products.
Conducts research and interviews subject matter experts. Photographs, writes, and edits news, features, editorials, captions, and other types of copy. Reviews material for compliance with local and Air Force policy and operational security.
Supervises or directs documentation, broadcast, and production functions. Manages resources to support Air Force public affairs plans and programs. Coordinates messages and themes for use by internal and external audiences.
Determines equipment requirements, researches subject matter, and establishes shooting outlines. Performs operational equipment checks and preventative maintenance.
Assists in selecting shooting locations. Determines camera angles, lighting, and special effects.
Operates camera, lighting, microphones, and related equipment. Acquires data for captions, background material, cover stories, and logs. Ensures proper slating and identification.
Prepares photographic assignments. Coordinates with customers. Acquires imagery in controlled, uncontrolled, and combat environments.
Applies principles of photographic composition. Conceives, visualizes, and produces images.
Accomplishes combat documentation, investigative, informational, editorial, and other photography. Obtains data, writes captions, and cover stories.
Selects and crops pictures for layouts and picture stories. Performs digital photographic acquisition processing and printing.
Selects, inspects, and tests camera, and digital photographic processing systems. Determines and uses appropriate camera, lens, filters, lighting, and accessory equipment.
Obtains optimum exposures using various meters, electronic flash, and exposure control methods. Uses light intensifier tubes (night vision). Operates communications equipment to transmit, receive, and archive images, in garrison and under field conditions. Complies with copyright, reproduction, and alteration restrictions.
Performs investigative/forensic video documentation to include legal, safety, medical, and criminal requirements. Responds to natural disasters and incidents such as vehicle accidents, aircraft mishaps, suicides, homicides, domestic abuse, and sexual assault.
Performs medical documentation, to include autopsies, and surgical procedures. Coordinates with medical staff to perform clinical and surgical micro and macro photography using specialized photographic cameras and lighting equipment.
Performs historical documentation. Maintains archive library and ensures appropriate accessioning of media.
Performs ground and aerial video documentation to include combat and non-combat operations.
Conducts aerial photo and video documentation and coordinates with aircraft commander to ensure proper aircraft positioning and maneuvering. Determines techniques to be used in aerial documentation. Supports scientific analysis, test documentation, and aerial documentation requirements.
Produces news and information products to support mission requirements. Develops scripts, graphics, special effects, and audio/video material. Prepares and schedules program elements and products for distribution.
Programs, directs, and hosts radio and television broadcasts. Reviews program materials for sensitivities before airing.
Coordinates receipt and disposition of program materials. Operates radio and television broadcast equipment. Arranges remote broadcast coverage of special events.
Conducts media operations. Maintains liaison with media. Receives queries for news media, researches and obtains information, coordinates answers, and provides response to news media.
Establishes personal contact with local and regional news media. Receives visiting news media, makes arrangements for interviews, provides briefings, and escorts media representatives.
Assists with news conferences and establishes and operates media center for contingency operations. Prepares and disseminates current imagery to media outlets. Supports Joint Hometown News Service.
Conducts crisis communication. Writes and maintains accident and other contingency plans. Responds to accidents and incidents.
Conducts community engagement activities. Maintains liaison with local and regional government and civic leaders.
Develops promotional material on military events of interest to surrounding civilian communities. Prepares material for presentation to civic groups and arranges for and assists military speakers. Plans base tours, orientations, and open houses for local community members.
Conducts quality review on all public affairs products prior to release. Continuously collects, measures, and analyzes communication program effectiveness.
Documents joint operations, exercises, and contingencies for internal and external use. Provides leadership with decision-making tools. Photographs under austere conditions day and night, in any weather condition. Records real-time historic events globally.
Performs studio operations. Arranges studio lighting, backdrops, and determines subject placement. Captures full-length and portraiture imagery.
Specialty Qualifications
Knowledge is mandatory of:
- Basic communication theory.
- Regulations, directives, and policies governing concerning release of information.
- Public Affairs, American Forces Network, and Combat Camera activities.
- Research methods.
- Interview techniques.
- Broadcast journalism.
- Broadcast equipment capabilities including video camera operations, video editing systems, audio, lighting, and studio equipment.
- Principles of video framing, compositions, visualization, storytelling, and audio and video editing.
- Video production and documentation of military events and features.
- Methods of researching public attitudes.
- Community engagement practices.
- Composition, grammar, and spelling.
- News writing and editing.
- Layout and design.
- Photographic theory, aesthetics, and technology.
- Camera operation and imagery production systems.
- Characteristics of digital light sensors.
- Color correction.
- Exposure and processing effects.
- Imagery evaluation.
- Digital image noise and resolution.
- Community engagement techniques and practices.
For entry into this specialty, completion of high school or general educational development equivalency is mandatory. Courses in creative arts and communications are advantageous.
Training-
The following formal training is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated:
- 3N036. Completion of the Mass Communication Foundations Course is mandatory.
The following experience is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated:
- 3N056. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 3N036. Experience supervising and performing Public Affairs functions. Airmen who held the AFSC of 3N0X2 or 3N0X5, must have completed the Public Affairs Consolidation training by 31 Oct 2021 to maintain their current skill level.
- 3N076. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 3N056.
- Experience managing and directing Public Affairs functions.
- Airmen who held the AFSC of 3N0X2 or 3N0X5, must have completed the Public Affairs Consolidation training by 31 Oct 2021 to maintain their current skill level.
The following is mandatory as indicated:
For entry into this specialty:
- Normal color vision as defined in AFI 48-123, Medical Examinations and Standards.
- A favorable evaluation of a voice audition.
- For entry, award, and retention of these AFSCs:
- Absence of any speech impediment, and ability to read aloud and speak distinctly.
- The Career Field Manager will consider waivers for E in the PULHES area with a value greater than 1. Waivers exceeding mandatory AFSC requirements will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the CFM.
- Specialty requires routine access to Secret material or similar environment.
- For award and retention of AFSCs 3N0X6, completion of a current National Agency Check, Local Agency Checks and Credit (NACLC) IAW DoDM 5200.02, AFMAN 16-1405, Air Force Personnel Security Program.
- Must possess a valid state driver’s license to operate government motor vehicles (GMV) in accordance with AFI 24-301, Vehicle Operations.
- For award and retention of these AFSCs, must maintain local network access IAW AFI 17-130, Cybersecurity Program Management and AFMAN 17-1301, Computer Security.
Civilian Career Options
High Salary: $98,890
Low Salary: $36,770
- Administrative Services Managers: $98,890
- Art Directors: $97,270
- Audio and Video Technicians: $47,920
- Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys: $36,770
- Broadcast Technicians: $43,570
- Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film: $57,200
- Customer Service Representatives: $35,830
- Desktop Publisher: $47,560
- Editors: $63,400
- Film and Video Editors: $67,250
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers: $58,450
- Graphic Designers: $53,380
- Librarians and Media Collections Specialists: $60,820
- Media Programming Directors: $76,400
- Media Technical Directors/Managers: $76,400
- News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists: $49,300
- Photographers: $41,280
- Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators: $34,720
- Prepress Technicians and Workers: $41,410
- Printing Press Operators: $37,880
- Producers and Directors: $76,400
- Proofreaders and Copy Markers: $41,140
- Public Relations Specialists: $62,810
- Sound Engineering Technicians: $53,520
- Special Effects Artists and Animators: $77,700
- Writers and Authors: $67,120
***This information was retrieved from Veterans Job Matcher at CareerOneStop (www.careeronestop.org), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
Shreadouts
None
Assignments
Unknown