Public affairs wins 2 AETC awards Published Feb. 18, 2009 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, BILOXI, MISS. -- The 81st Training Wing earned recognition in the Air Education and Training Command's public affairs awards for communication excellence competition for 2008. Airman 1st Class David Salanitri was recognized as the command's outstanding public affairs airman, and the wing's public affairs staff was honored for best crisis communication performance in an unplanned event requiring immediate response for its actions related to Hurricane Gustav. Airman Salanitri, who's served as editor of the Keesler News since December, won first-place awards for sports photography and news series in the command's 2007 media contest. He authored 30 stories and took 26 photos for publication. During a four-month deployment with the Multi National Corps-Iraq, Airman Salanitri drafted more than 1,300 press releases and escorted international media representatives to ensure maximum press coverage for top coalition leaders. Airman Salanitri briefed more than 240 new arrivals at Keesler's First Term Airmen Center, was an alternate representative for the Combined Federal Campaign and served as a wing physical training leader. He performed at 46 funerals and four color guard details as a member of the Keesler Honor Guard. The wing's public affairs staff benefited from lessons learned during Hurricane Katrina when it responded to the threat of Hurricane Gustav last August. As Keesler sheltered more than 3,600 students, instructors, security forces, civil engineers and ready-force teams to ride out the storm, the public affairs staff took its spot across the hall from the command post to help ensure rapid acquisition and dissemination of vital safety and security information to those sheltered and evacuated members via Keesler's public Web site. Before the storm, the staff ensured proper public affairs manning levels and equipment, documented storm preparations, maintained constant media contact and ensured that personnel were aware of necessary items for sheltering and financial requirements, distance ranges and contact numbers for those who evacuated. During Gustav, the public affairs team used photography, videography and stories loaded to the Web site to document sheltering and emergency response and maintain 24/7 contact with the media. The Web site became a vital channel for key messages, news releases and safety, storm, financial and contact information. After the hurricane, public affairs continued to inform evacuated personnel of financial responsibilities and travel reimbursement procedures. The staff documented damage to base assets and return to pre-storm conditions via photos, videos, Web updates and Keesler News stories, and invited local media to interview base leadership on Keesler's status and the success of sheltering and evacuation.