Debbie Thompson Email and Phone Number

Develops and implements a marketing plan and initiatives designed to increase awareness of Medical Department Activity capabilities to current and potential customers. Serves as public affairs officer and director of marketing and is responsible for developing and implementing a public information program for the hospital and ancillary clinics. Serves as content manager for GLWACH's website and social media pages. Develops performance plans, evaluates work performance and counsels employees as appropriate.

Serves as a Subject Matter Expert in the areas of broadcast journalism and video documentation. Instructs entry, intermediate, and advanced level topics to include military public affairs, Broadcast Announcing Skills (BAS), broadcast writing, broadcast radio operations, electronic news gathering and production, television studio operations and video documentation. Researches, develops, adapts/revises, coordinates and presents lesson plans covering all basic and/or advanced broadcast course tasks. Applies the knowledge of course design and development.

Conducts training for 60-250 students in more than 60 skill tasks including basic rifle marksmanship, urban combat operations, and first aid. Responsible for the safety of students and staff during all phases of live-fire training. Develops and implements training plans to ensure established training standards are met or exceeded. Conducts classroom and field training using lecture, demonstration, and practical application of theory to Soldiers assigned to Fort Hood. Analyzes training trends and data to support training requirements and methodologies and coordinates information with leadership to determine the effectiveness and applicability of the entire training regimen. Researches government and commercial instructional trends and requirements and incorporates applicable information into training plans and instructional systems. Counsels students on performance and determines remediation efforts and conducts individualized remedial training for identified Soldiers to ensure they're fully qualified and prepared for deployment in support of combat operations.

Led six Soldiers in support of the Fort Hood and Army Public Affairs missions. Developed training programs to ensure all personnel were duty-position qualified in all facets of Public Affairs operations in garrison and deployed environments including print journalism, still photography, videography, radio and television news products. Researched, wrote, edited, and approved responses to media queries. Developed media strategies in conjunction with command and Army public affairs guidance to ensure continuity of messages across print and electronic media and command social media venues. Trained 50 Soldiers in advanced storytelling principles to include writing, videography, still photography, and newspaper layout and editing. Trained unit members as well as Public Affairs Soldiers across Fort Hood in print and electronic media processes to acquire, create, write, edit, produce and distribute Public Affairs messages to commercial and Department of the Army and Department of Defense media outlets. Led a six Soldier team Public Affairs cell during a deployment supporting American military relief efforts to earthquake ravaged Haiti during Operation Unified Response. Coordinated Public Affairs actions with multi-national and multi-agency response force including Combined Joint Task Force Haiti, Department of State, and Non-Governmental Organizations. Created and served as editor of Operation Unified Response newspaper serving 8000 multi-service military personnel. Handled all aspects of human resources from interviewing newly assigned personal to writing evaluations and awards. Primary Equal Opportunity, Sexual Assault Prevent and Harassment, Suicide Prevention and Alcohol/Substance Abuse. Trained 50 Soldiers annually. Zero incidents during tenure.

Recognized as instructor of the quarterTaught all facets of radio production to include writing, editing, news delivery, show host, and spot production to support DoD and service component Public Affairs and strategic communication goalsAuthored lesson plans for non-linear audio editing, news writing, spot writing, radio show host, and delivery of key themes and messages supporting command internal information initiatives Initiated and coordinated student academic and administrative actions to include completion of course requirements, remedial instruction, recycle and drop actions, performance testing, and counseling

Recognized by the Commanding General for outstanding public affairs work as a junior Soldier Produced and anchored a weekly internal news television program to an audience of more than 25,000 Soldiers, family members and civilians Managed daily operations of television station including programming, maintenance, and administration of personnel actions Embedded with combat arms units to document the 101st Airborne Division’s role in the initial assault into Iraq