Today's Focus:
Boost Campaign
SENIOR LEADERS ARE SAYING
"This program is about second chances. It's a do-over. You don't get many of those in life. These students are not only getting the opportunity to get a high school diploma, they are getting additional military training and opportunities to give back to the community as well. We are preparing Soldiers to be well-rounded professionally, mentally and physically."
- Col. Perry Wilson Sarver Jr., Patriot Academy commandant
Guard's Patriot Academy gives dropouts second chance
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
Year of the Noncommissioned Officer
"The most important aspect of being an NCO…is taking care of people."
- Staff Sgt. Katherine Fults, a flutist with the Minnesota National Guard’s 34th Infantry Division Band
Face of Defense: Soldier enjoys helping others
INFORMATION YOU CAN USE
- Early Bird News Site
- Information Papers with "2009 Army Posture Statement"
- Stories of Valor
- Army Public Affairs Portal
- Strategic Communication Coordination Group (SCCG) Workspace
- 2009 Strategic Communication Guide - Read the 2009 Army Strategic Communication Guide for key messages and updates
CALENDAR
2009 Commemorations :
Year of the NCO
Year of the Military Family
100th Anniversary of the Chaplain Assistant
September 2009
National Preparedness Month
Sept. 11: Patriot Day
Sept. 15 - Oct. 15: National Hispanic Heritage Month
Sept. 18: POW/MIA Recognition Day
TODAY'S FOCUS
Boost Campaign: President Obama to join Ad Council and Army to communicate importance of education
What is it?
President Obama is joining the Ad Council and the U.S. Army to launch a new series of television and radio public service advertisements (PSAs) to encourage high- school students to stay in school. The ads feature the President, and are part of the Army and the Ad Council's High School Dropout Prevention "Boost" campaign. The ads are being distributed to media outlets nationwide to coincide with a special address President Obama will give to students about the importance of education Sept. 8, 2009. The President's address, which will mark the first time an American president will speak directly to the nation's children about persisting in school, will be broadcast live on White House Live on Sept. 8 at 1:00 p.m. EST.
Why is this important to the Army?
The dropout rate is a national security issue that impacts Army workforce readiness. Nearly 30 percent of high-school students in the U.S. drop out, according to a report released by the America's Promise Alliance (Cities in Crisis: A Special Analytic Report on High School Graduation). The Army and Ad Council partnership is an effort to compel students to graduate. Through new TV and radio PSAs, President Obama communicates he couldn't have achieved his success without first graduating high school. He urges parents, friends, educators and neighbors to do whatever it takes to help support and encourage high school students in their education. Teachers will receive resources to help engage students and stimulate classroom discussion.
What is the Army doing?
Education is a top-priority public service issue for the Army. In 2000, the Army partnered with the Ad Council to start "Operation Graduation," a national campaign to motivate students to graduate high school. In 2006, the Army and the Ad Council launched a new approach, "Boost." The "Boost" program encourages teens to talk to their friends about staying in school, and provides parents with tools and advice. In addition to the PSAs, "Boost" features a series of wake-up calls and alarm ringtones recorded by professional athletes that teens can share with friends to motive them to get up and go to school in the morning. The "Boost" campaign leverages leading social networking Web sites and user-generated content sites (i.e. YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace) to provide opportunities to support teens.
Resources:
Boost campaign
Prepared remarks of President Barack Obama Back to School event
For more information about education programs the Army offers: Army Ed Space
STAND-TO! NEWS
OVERSEAS OPERATIONS
- For Obama, A pivotal moment in Afghanistan (WP)
- Crux of Afghan debate: Will more troops curb terror? (NYT)
- Evidence of ballot fraud for Karzai forces U.S. into action (WSJ)
- Afghan reaction to strike muted (WP)
- With U.S. forces in Iraq beginning to leave, need for private guards grows (WP)
- In Iraq, U.S. troops learn to cope with rejection (LAT)
- U.S. satisfied with Pakistan's nuclear security: Gates (Yahoo)
WORLD VIEW
- Interview: Robert Gates (AJ)
- Iran rules out nuclear power talks (FT)
- Rift widens between U.S. and Germany over botched Afghanistan air strike (GRD)
- Merkel regrets Afghan raid deaths (BBC)
- Alcohol banned on Afghanistan base after troops party too hard (LDT)
- U.S. troops accused of carrying out armed raid on Afghan hospital (TO)
- Israel defies U.S. over settlements (AJ)
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SOCIAL NETWORKING