Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 5400.13
October 15, 2008
ASD(PA)
SUBJECT: Public Affairs (PA) Operations
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE
. This Instruction:
a. Reissues DoD Directive 5400.13 (Reference (a)) as a DoD Instruction in accordance with
the guidance in DoD Instruction 5025.01 (Reference (b)) and the authority in DoD Directive
5122.5 (Reference (c)).
b. Establishes policy and assigns responsibilities for the conduct of PA as a primary DoD
communications capability in accordance with Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum
(Reference (d)).
c. Under the new title “Public Affairs (PA) Operations,” addresses PA roles and
responsibilities across the Department of Defense, to include the Secretaries of the Military
Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Combatant
Commanders, and the Heads of the other DoD Components.
2. APPLICABILITY. This Instruction applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of
the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the
Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD
Field Activities and all other organizational entities in the Department of Defense (hereafter
referred to collectively as the “DoD Components”).
3. DEFINITIONS. See Glossary.
4. POLICY. It is DoD policy that:
a. DoD PA activities shall contribute to DoD objectives by communicating information
about military activities to domestic, international, and internal audiences.
