Itinerary Report, CHINFO Report 5723-1, as soon as
possible to the appropriate fleet commander in chief
(with copies to CHINFO, the area coordinator and the
type commander). Note the following information in the
report:
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
l
Name of your ship
Time and place the guests will embark, including
specific information
Estimated time of departure from port
Destination and estimated time of arrival
Ships employment or other pertinent factors
to include intermediate ports
Number of billets available
Name of CO, and flag or other officer senior to
him, to be embarked
PAO point of contact and ship telephone numbers
Estimated cost to guest
Be sure to notify CHINFO when there is a change
to the itinerary that would require the guests to remain
aboard for longer periods than scheduled or involve an
alternate port of debarkation. For further information,
consult PA Regs, Chapter 4.
Tours
Tours of your ship go hand in hand with a sound
community relations program. It is an opportunity for
the ship to display Navy professionalism and for visitors
to see what a U.S. Navy ship is like. Visiting a Navy ship
is an enjoyable and educational experience and has great
recruiting potential.
Barring extraordinary circumstances, your ship will
be available for tours when it is in a foreign port of call
or moored at its home port (usually on Saturdays,
Sundays and holidays on a rotating basis as directed by
the SOPA). Consequently, you have to provide the
necessary tour guides to get the job done.
In some tour situations, for example, a VIP group
with eight to 10 people, you can conduct the tour
yourself or direct a member of your staff to conduct it.
A staff member should be specially trained to do this.
However, if your ship has been selected to provide tours
for the civilian populace during an Armed Forces Day
public visitation, the public affairs office staff cannot
possibly handle the hundreds (possibly thousands) of
visitors that will come out to tour the ship. That is why
you should develop a comprehensive visitation plan.
Visitation PLAN. Input from all cognizant
officers and special assistants to the CO should be
sought before the visitation plan is devised. For
example, obtain recommended traffic flow patterns
from the security officer and ask the medical officer for
recommended emergency medical procedures and
services. The supply officer should be consulted
regarding the availability of refreshments and the
selection of authorized souvenirs for sale. Furthermore,
you should liaison with the numerous other individuals
responsible for making their equipment and spaces
ready for public viewing.
The plan should also address the number of
personnel each department provides for the tour(s),
generally in proportion to the size of the department.
Departments should provide knowledgeable, articulate
tour guides who present an outstanding appearance and
military bearing. Individuals who satisfy these
prerequisites with public speaking experience should be
specifically designated in the plan.
Include some provision for foul weather in the plan,
including the number of indoor seats available (if
applicable) and whether exhibits can be placed indoors.
It may take several planning sessions and many
hours on the telephone to get your plan finalized, but the
end result is well worth it: a notice (or instruction) that
formally outlines the duties and responsibilities of all
divisions/departments throughout the command on tour
day.
WELCOME SIGN. To minimize situations in
which disruptions or civil rights violations may occur,
post a sign at the head of the brow or on the quarterdeck,
declaring the following:
Welcome Aboard the USS Sea Nettle. As a
guest of the commanding officer, you are
encouraged to become familiar with your Navy, an
indispensable component of the U.S. national
defense team. While on board this installation, you
are requested to observe the following rules:
(1) Political activities, such as pamphleteering,
speeches, placard/banner displays, and so forth, are
not appropriate and are not permitted. Demon-
strations or protest activities are forbidden.
(2) Activities detrimental to loyalty, discipline,
health, welfare, morale or readiness of the armed
forces are not allowed. The commanding officer
endeavors to be a gracious host. Your cooperation as
1-46