NORAD Orders Release Of Photos Showing US Troops In Action Against COVID-19 ‘To Reassure The Public’

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is leading Pentagon efforts to turn the fight against the coronavirus into a US military PR campaign, apparently, given it’s issued an order for Pentagon public affairs as well as the Canadian Army to make photos of US troops engaged domestically in assisting containment efforts widely available. 

According to The Washington Times, all military public affairs units have been ordered to release photos which “reassure the American public they don’t have to worry about homeland defense” during the COVID-19 era. “Showing the U.S. and Canada are fully capable of providing homeland defense for their countries, despite COVID-19, serves to help deter any one who would seek to take advantage of the situation,” said the April 8 order.

The order instructs public affairs to produce “images of military members performing their duties, either homeland defense or DSCA [defense support of civil authorities]… proper PPE [personal protective equipment] and, or social distance are preferred.” 

“NORAD and USNorthCom components subordinates and associated units should continue to capture imagery of military personnel performing their duties,” the order added.

Though essentially this is meant as military propaganda for domestic consumption in a ‘calm public fears’ kind of way, the part about helping to “deter any one who would seek to take advantage of the situation” appears aimed at America’s rivals and enemies. 

How is it we manage to turn everything in to a fucking war https://t.co/ITmkgLx8Mt

— Adam H. Johnson (@adamjohnsonNYC) April 13, 2020

Given that as one recent AFP report noted, some US 150 bases as well as aircraft carriers have been affected by the pandemic.

Recall too that the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier fiasco played out in very public view, and America’s enemies and rivals no doubt can’t help but to be closely observing the degree to which the crisis negatively impacts defense preparedness.

“We’re still capable and we’re still ready no matter what the threat,” Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley sought to reassure last week. 

“I wouldn’t want any mixed messages going out there to any adversaries that they can take advantage of an opportunity, if you will, at a time of crisis,” he added. “That would be a terrible and tragic mistake if they thought that.”