Distributions  of  advertising  material  are  made  to various media nationwide for quarterly placement as a  public  service  to  the  Navy.  National  efforts  are only  a  start.  There  can  be  no  substitution  for  the face-to-face  field  contacts.  By  making  regular  visits to  the  media  and  developing  contacts,  you  can  do more  to  ensure  the  PSAs  actually  are  given  time and   space. Your   PAO   can   provide   you   with prepared   advertising   in   assorted   formats   for newspaper,  radio,  television,  and  billboards.  In addition  to  prepared  advertising,  there  are  other ways to get free media exposure that increases Navy awareness  and  interest  in  enlistments.  Let’s  take  a look  at  efforts  in  each  of  the  media  separately. CAUTION:  Whenever  you  or  your  recruiters have extemporaneous dealings with the media, keep in  mind  they  see  you  as  the  Navy.  Be  cautious  in answering  opinion-type  questions.  Current  events questions  are  normally  referred  to  the  PAO  or appropriate   responses   are   suggested   from   higher authority.  Try  to  steer  conversations  back  to  Navy opportunities   and   career   information   whenever possible. Just  remember  that  many  a  passing comment  has  been  taken  out  of  context  to  become tomorrow’s   headlines. Newspapers Newspaper   advertising   is   usually   the   easiest media  coverage  to  obtain.  Reproducible  material  in various sizes and formats is distributed quarterly by the   Commander, Navy   Recruiting   Command (COMNAVCRUITCOM)   to   most   newspapers   for use  whenever  space  is  available.  Hometown  news releases  should  be  used  for  special  events  in  all recruits’   careers. DEP-in,  reporting  to  and graduating   from   the   Recruit   Training   Command, graduation from schools, advancements, honors and awards,  and  transfers  all  make  appropriate  news releases.  A  news  release  should  also  be  submitted for  significant  events  in  the  careers  of  recruiting personnel   such   as   reporting,   awards,   and advancement.   The   PAO   will   initiate   DEP   and newly reported personnel releases and is available to assist  you  in  submitting  any  special  event  release. Newspapers in large metropolitan areas may not be as   eager   to   give   space   as   smaller   town   papers. Check  to  see  if  there  are  neighborhood  papers  or weeklies  that  will  run  your  releases.  Check  with high  school  and  college  newspapers.  Sometimes  it’s just  a  matter  of  contacting  the  right  person.  If  the newspapers agree to run PSAs, make sure you have either  obtained  your  ad  from  the  district  or  have had it approved before submitting it for publication. Letters   from   recruits   often   make   interesting newspaper   articles. Obtain  a  news  release authorization  from  the  recruit  before  you  submit  it for  publication.    You  may  want  to  write  your  own articles  for  any  special  circumstances.  To  give  you a  few  ideas,  these  are  headlines  from  articles  that have  been  written  by  recruiters  in  the  past:  FOUR GENERATIONS  OF  NAVY,  A  NAVY  FAMILY (submitted  after  son  joined  mother  and  father  in  a Navy   enlistment),   TWINS   GO   NAVY,   MORE ROCKETS  CHOOSE  NAVY  (submitted  after enlistment of two more high school seniors in DEP, making   a   total   of   25   percent   of   the   graduating class), NAVY   DEPPERS   CLEAN   UP   THE BEACH  (submitted  after  Navy  DEP  members volunteered  for  a  beach  clean-up  day),  NAVY RECRUITER   COMES   HOME   (submitted   after   a recruiter reported for duty in the same office he had enlisted in). With a little ingenuity almost any event can  become  a  newsworthy  article. Radio Radio  offers  more  variety  in  public  awareness efforts.   COMNAVCRUITCOM   provides   30-   and 60-second   spots   to   over   4,400   radio   stations nationwide   each   quarter.   They   will   also   provide PSAs   localized   with   the   recruiter’s   name,   phone number,   and   location   for   personal   delivery.   You should pay particular attention to the radio stations that  most  of  the  young  people  in  your  area  are listening  to;  however,  other  stations  should  not  be ignored altogether. They can still play an important part  in  getting  the  word  to  parents,  educators,  and potential  COIs.  Provide  a  variety  of  PSA  tapes  to the  radio  stations  in  your  territory.  Rotate  the advertising  from  time  to  time  so  each  station  is getting   a   change   as   often   as   supply   will   allow. Remember,  a  tape  heard  too  many  times  is  not really heard at all. In other words, people will start tuning out messages they have heard repeatedly. Use   your   imagination   for   soliciting   air   time, Volunteer for talk shows, especially those that cover careers  and  training.  Challenge  local  deejays  with Navy-related trivia, ball games with DEP personnel, or  contests  of  some  sort.  One  innovative  recruiter visited  with  a  local  deejay  once  each  week  on  the air.  Callers  could  win  Navy  promotional  items  for answering  Navy  trivia  questions.  Not  incidentally, the  name  and  location  of  local  recruiters  were included on each show, with an invitation to stop in any  time.  If  you  or  your  recruiters  are  going  to  go 7-4