1. Public Affairs Guidance
Public Affairs Posture: ACTIVE
Public Affairs Lead and Release authority:
PRIOR TO AND AFTER EXERCISE: Release Authority is USAREUR
DURING EXERCISE: Release Authority is CPIC co-directors
Public Affairs lead is USAREUR (represented by Maj. Carlin as the CPIC Co-director) in coordination with CJTF HQ.

2. Themes and Messages
Theme 1: The United States, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have a valued partnership.
Theme 2: Strengthened partnerships benefit all participants.

3. Themes and Messages
Theme 1: The United States, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have a valued partnership.
Message 1: Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have contributed greatly to Operation Enduring Freedom and other international operations. The U.S. army enjoys an ongoing, close relationship with many Eastern European militaries. This exercise is another example of this steadfast strategic partnership.
PLAIN ENGLISH: ‘We’ve fought together in OEF, we are training together here.’
Message 2: Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia and USAREUR benefit from cooperative training efforts and we plan to continue these efforts with SS12 and future exercises.
Message 3: Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia militaries have invited U.S. military to train with their armed forces.

4. Themes and Messages
Theme 2: Strengthened partnerships benefit all participants.
Message: The U.S. and the partner nations will enhance their mutual abilities to work with other NATO nations and key regional partners.
Message: This exercise continues to prepare potential partners for future operations, such as OEF and other possible world-wide contingency operations.
Message: Working directly with partners who have helped or may support future efforts in Afghanistan or other potential operations improves partner nations’ interoperability.
Message: Partner nations demonstrate they have the capacity to provide for their own security and display their own unique roles in regional stability.
Message: Through a fiscally responsible approach, we maximize training benefits for all nations. For example, the use of a distributed computer assisted exercise in a multi-national environment significantly reduces costs for all countries
Theme: U.S. efforts in this region should in no way be seen as a threat to Russia or its interests in the region.
Message: U.S. activities in the region are not aimed at bolstering any defenses against Russia.
Message: In the past, Russia has participated alongside the United States in multinational training in the region, and we hope to continue this cooperative effort in the future.

5. Themes and Messages
Theme 2: Strengthened partnerships benefit all participants.
KEY TAKE-AWAYS:
We are not training them we are training with them.
NATO interoperability
This exercise is not about Russia or any sort of European theater defense it is about folks preparing for OEF

6. Other PAO issues to remember
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are NOT Russia. They are known as the ‘Baltic’ States.
June 14: Army B-Day, which means we celebrate it, Day of Mourning for Latvia and Estonia, they observe solemn remembrances.

7. Saber Strike 2012 PAO Pocket Card Themes
“The US Latvia Lithuania and Estonia have a valued partnership.”
“Strengthened partnership benefits all participants.”
Dos and Don’ts when talking to media (and AFN)
DO:
Do make sure they have a PAO escort (or are uniformed PAOs) before talking
Do talk about the training you are doing here at Saber Strike
Do talk about what you have learned from our partner nations’ soldiers, and what they have learned from you.
Do talk about positive cultural exchanges you’ve had.
Do talk about the things you have expertise in.
DON’T:
Don’t guess, if you know it, say it, if you don’t then don’t, and stay in your lane.
Don’t discuss classified or highly sensitive information with the media.
Don’t use over-use Army acronyms—Speak in plain English.