Chuck's Bio Charles (Chuck) Ricks is a consultant, lecturer, trainer and writer on issues related to crisis communications and news media relations in both domestic and international environments. He recently completed a year in Afghanistan where he assisted in the development of public information systems for the Afghan Ministry of Defense and National Army. He began his career in university and commercial radio. He later served in the Army for more than 23 years with operational assignments in Europe, Asia and the United States. He also held various public information positions including within NATO and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. During the NATO air campaign against Serbia in 1999, he returned to Europe as the personal representative of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs at NATO military headquarters in Belgium conducting information operations and crisis communications. In 1992, he traveled to Moscow as part of the first-ever NATO operation in the former Soviet Union. Ricks has worked with local, national, and international journalists with experiences throughout Europe, in Afghanistan, and in Moscow, Azerbaijan, and Siberia. He has participated in information discussions with military, diplomatic and political officials from Central and Eastern Europe to include the former Soviet Union. He has also trained individuals from those countries to communicate with the news media through NATO's "Partnership for Peace" Program. Ricks developed and implemented information policy, plans and procedures in both national and international environments, including revising Defense Department policy governing relations with the news media during military operations in the wake of Operation Desert Storm. At the same time he wrote the first Joint Doctrine guiding public affairs activities during military operations. Earlier he had assisted in the return of the hostages from Iran and worked with the White House on visits by the president and vice president. As the second of three generations of military officers, he has moved about most of his life. He settled in Lawrence, Indiana, where he served as Deputy Mayor and Director of Economic Development for six years. During that time he was involved with the award-winning redevelopment of Fort Benjamin Harrison. He was also involved with other community development projects to support a nearly 50% increase in the city's population and its new status as a Second-Class City under Indiana law. He also served as the spokesperson for city issues including fire and police operations. He earned a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration (Marketing) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Masters Degree in English Literature from the University of Kentucky, and conducted advanced public relations studies at the University of South Carolina. Ricks taught English and Philosophy at the United States Military Academy at West Point; directed the Broadcast Journalism Department at the Defense Information School; conducted news media training and information seminars in 13 of the NATO countries; and has lectured at the NATO Defence College in Rome, Italy, and the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany. He has written Telling the Afghan Story . . .Their Way!, The Military-News Media Relationship: Thinking Forward, Crisis Coverage & Newsroom Credibility, and Beyond Slogans: Explaining the Military. Ricks has lived in Afghanistan, Germany, Belgium, the Philippines, Japan, Okinawa, and Korea and has traveled throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East.