NATO PUBLIC INFORMATION POLICY. INSTITUTIONAL ARCHITECTURE

In a democracy, the military have the responsibility and must be accountable to the public and state powers to fulfill their mission. Therefore, NATO military public information is one of the highest responsibility and priority of NATO command. Commanders and staffs must look average as an important means of communication with the public and non-member countries, Armed Forces personnel and their families, as well as the influence of specific groups such as parliamentarians and opinion groups. NATO public information is one of the most transparent and vital links related forces connected with the people and the domestic public they represent. The application of NATO's political strategy in the field of public information provides mitigation to global security, the security of NATO and of the member countries, the current allied forces in theaters of operations, the military organizations of the member states, and other government organizations and NGOs engaged in processes of crisis prevention and conflict management. The objectives of NATO public information policy is to provide information for the citizens of member`s states and partner countries, and other audiences when the situation requires. NATO's structures focused on this matter are mainly divided in military and civil ones, each one having special goals in order to achieve the public support for NATO's activities.