An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Navy Public Affairs NPASE banner image

NPAC Leadership

Captain Sarah T. Self-Kyler

Captain Sarah Self-Kyler
Commanding Officer
Master Chief Dustin Withrow

Master Chief Dustin Withrow
Command Master Chief

What We Do

The NPAC is a standing expeditionary Navy public affairs (PA), visual information (VI), and communication integration support capability. NPAC is organized, trained and equipped to maintain worldwide deployable and non-deployable PA and VI resources made up of active duty and reserve personnel to support the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations and the Chief of Information, as well as fleet, regional, Navy component and joint combatant commanders with PA and VI capabilities. All NPAC forces are expeditionary and are immediately deployable to support current and emerging PA and VI requirements.
 

Who We Are

NPAC was created on January 9, 2026 to train, equip and employ worldwide deployable and non-deployable PA and VI forces to support the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations and the Chief of Information, as well as fleet, regional, Navy component and joint combatant commanders with PA and VI capabilities. NPAC supports the U.S. Navy in PA and VI through the active duty and reserve personnel assigned to their subordinate commands, centers and detachments.

NPAC Commands and Centers:

  • FLTPACEN Norfolk
  • FLTPACEN San Diego
  • FLTPACEN Japan, located in Yokosuka, Japan

NPAC Detachments:

  • FLTPACEN Norfolk Det Rota, located in Rota, Spain
  • FLTPACEN Norfolk Det Mayport, located in Mayport, Florida
  • FLTPACEN San Diego Det Hawaii, located in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Mission

The mission of subordinate FLTPACEN commands and centers is to train, equip and employ worldwide deployable and non-deployable PA and VI forces, made up of active duty and reserve personnel to support the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations and the Chief of Information, as well as fleet, regional, Navy component and joint combatant commanders with PA and VI capabilities. All FLTPACEN forces are immediately deployable to support ongoing and emerging PA and VI requirement. This includes providing individuals and detachments trained in PA and VI planning, execution and assessment; broadcast and print journalism; multimedia production; and specialized handheld imaging capabilities to document force deployments and activities of the Navy and when tasked, other Services, for the attainment of naval, military and national objectives.

What are PAOs?Public Affairs Officer image

The primary duties of a Navy Public Affairs Officer (PAO) include:
 

  1. Media Relations: Interacting with journalists and media outlets to provide accurate and timely information about Navy operations, activities, and policies. This often involves conducting interviews, issuing press releases, and coordinating media coverage.
     
  2. Public Relations: Developing and implementing strategies to share the Navy’s story to the public, stakeholders, and communities.
     
  3. Internal Communications: Ensuring effective communication within the command by keeping service members informed about policies, initiatives, and developments. This can include producing newsletters, internal memos, and using digital communication platforms.
     
  4. Crisis Communication: Managing communication during crises or emergencies to provide accurate and timely information to the public in an expeditious manner. This typically involves coordinating with other Navy officials, government agencies, and media to disseminate critical information.
     
  5. Content Creation: Overseeing and guiding various types of content creation such as articles, speeches, social media posts, and multimedia materials to convey Navy messages effectively to different audiences.
     
  6. Strategic Planning: Developing long-term communication plans aligned with Navy goals and objectives. This includes identifying communication priorities, setting objectives, and evaluating the effectiveness of communication efforts.
     
  7. Policy Development: Advising Navy leadership on public affairs policies, regulations, and guidelines. PAOs ensure that communication practices adhere to Navy policies and ethical standards.
     
  8. Training and Education: Providing training and guidance to Navy personnel on public affairs practices, media relations, and communication protocols. This helps ensure consistent messaging and effective communication practices that align with the goals set by the U.S. Navy and the Department of Defense.


Want to learn more about becoming a PAO? Visit the U.S. Navy’s website for more information:

Mass communication specialist image

What are MCs?

Mass Communication Specialists tell the Navy's story to support the commander's overall communication goals. They define communication problems, ideate solutions, create multimedia products, and evaluate the success of media campaigns. MCs conduct research and identify target audiences, design print publications and digital media products, and create illustrations and graphics. They develop multimedia content including video, still images, digital graphics, web products, news and feature stories, blogs, and press releases. In addition, they create media project plans and communication plans, and evaluate the success of these plans and campaigns by conducting research, analyzing data, and providing feedback to leadership. Senior MCs serve as communication advisors to commanders, developing content strategies, creating data stories, and optimizing communication solutions. Senior MCs also prepare unit commanders for media interaction, press conferences and public speaking. Additionally, they may speak to the press on behalf of their command.
 

What They Do

The duties performed by MCs include:

  • Prepare and write news and feature articles for publication
  • Photograph events for publication and historic documentation
  • Operate and maintain a variety of state-of-the-art still and video cameras
  • Operate computer-based graphics software and desktop publishing systems
  • Create original visual information displays and graphics
  • Multi-media design and production
  • Design and manage public and secure websites
  • Layout and design military newspapers and magazines
  • Manage radio and television stations
  • Operate video and electronic imaging equipment
  • Operate digital electronic reproduction equipment
  • Edit video news, features, and documentation
  • Shoot still photographs and video for accident or incident investigations
  • Conduct interviews
  • Market stories

 

Want to learn more about becoming a MC? Visit the U.S. Navy’s website for more information: 

 

Google Translation Disclaimer

Guidance-Card-Icon Dept-Exclusive-Card-Icon