Operation Press Outreach

The Defense Department is beefing up its public affairs staff in an effort to communicate better.

In an Oct. 3 memo, Dorrance Smith, assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, writes the new effort will focus on four areas:

* New media.
* Booking Defense officials on television and radio shows.
* Providing information to surrogates, such as military analysts.
* Rapid response.

The last area of focus will include correcting “inaccurate statements” by the news media, Defense officials said.

“So