Department Of Defense Public Affairs Specialist
To Speak On Campus

4-2-97

University Park, Pa. - On Wednesday, April 9, The Honorable Clifford H. Bernath, principal deputy assistant secretary of Defense for public affairs will be visiting Penn State to speak about the Department of Defense National Media Pool. Bernath's talk, titled "The Department of Defense Media Pool: It May Be Our Only Access to the Battlefield," will take place at 7:00 p.m. in Carnegie Cinema on the University Park campus.

Bernath has been serving in his current role since 1993 and has served in the United States Army for 21 years in a variety of stateside and overseas assignments, including a tour as an Infantry officer in Vietnam and service as executive editor of Soldiers magazine. He has written one book and published more than 70 articles on military-related topics and issues.

In addition to his responsibility for the day-to-day operation and management of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, Bernath is the senior public affairs planner for media coverage of military exercises and combat operations and oversees the operation and deployment of the Department of Defense National Media Pool. He is also responsible for a major "Partnership for Peace" initiative to help other nations improve relationships and communications between their media and defense organizations as well as "DefenseLINK," the home page for the release of imagery and information about the Department of Defense via the Internet.

Bernath holds a B.A. in English from the University of Missouri and an M.S. in journalism from Kansas State University. He is a graduate of the Defense Information School, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the Federal Executive Institute.

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CONTACT: Angie Bolton (814) 865-8801 aab7@psu.edu