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A Conversation with U.S. Army Col. Curtis Kellogg

Posted on Nov. 14, 2022  /  Diversity & Inclusion  /  Subscribe 1

PRSA Tampa Bay was honored to have in attendance at our PRestige Awards program Army Col. Curtis Kellogg, the director of communications at U.S. Special Operations Command, or USSOCOM, at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. He was interviewed recently by Bart Graham, Sr., PRSA Tampa Bay Membership Chair and D&I Committee Member. 

Kellogg has served our country and public relations profession proudly and plans to retire in the Tampa Bay area in 2024.

You have an intriguing background, graduating with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from Lock Haven University and were commissioned as a second lieutenant of Field Artillery. Can you talk to your diverse path to becoming the Communication Office Director at SOCOM?

When I first went to college in the early 1990s, the military wasn’t on my list of career choices. I grew up the son of an Army Command Sergeant Major and, at the time, planned to make a clean break from the military. I wanted to figure out what it meant to be a civilian, and a civilian journalist at that. 

As I matured, I began to feel the call to serve and see the benefits of service, so I enlisted in the Army Reserve while still in college. I later joined ROTC, and after speaking to recent graduates serving in both the military and working in the journalism field, I chose to come on active duty when I was commissioned.

At the time of my commissioning, I didn’t know there was such a thing as a public affairs officer. The Army doesn’t take brand new officers into the Public Affairs branch, only mid-grade officers with some troop-leading experience. Instead, I became an Airborne artilleryman and spent the first seven years of my new career leading soldiers, jumping out of planes and shooting large cannons. It was loads of fun and the best leadership development opportunity a person could have. 

After I finished my battery command, I planned to leave the military to (hopefully) start a career in PR or advertising. A senior mentor counseled me on staying in, advising me that the Army had a similar field, Public Affairs, which I may want to consider. I enjoyed serving, so I asked the Army to make the switch and became a public affairs officer in 2006. It was a great opportunity for me, and I haven’t looked back since. 

You have seen it all. From being the PAO for the 40th Chief of Staff of the Army at the Pentagon, the PAO for the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii, and the Chief of Media Relations at CENTCOM.  Do you have a favorite story you would like to share about these experiences?

My favorite aspect of these experiences – particularly working for the Army Chief of Staff, handling media relations at Central Command, and serving as the Communication Director at SOCOM – is seeing the tangible impact of your work at a point and time of need. 

There’s a joke among military PAOs that what we call communication others call crisis communication. Everything we plan for or respond to isn’t technically a crisis, though there have been more than a few of those. However, the constrained planning horizons and extremely short deadlines coupled with the high-profile and high-visibility issues and their implications, often give off a sense of urgency that is consistent with a crisis. 

Being a trusted member of these military organizations trusted with dealing with critical situations and issues and leading a team of communication professionals positively contributing to that effort, is my favorite part of the job. It carries an adrenaline rush and sense of fulfillment all its own. For anyone seeking that feeling and a chance to contribute to something greater than yourself, I would definitely recommend it.

Lastly, do you see a "star" in your future or a doctorate since you have your Master's? By the way, you would be a great APR+M if you ever decided to retire.

Well, on that last point, I think retirement is where I’m leaning. My family and I love the Tampa Bay area, so sometime in 2024 I will finally transition to civilian life. I plan to continue working in a civilian capacity, so that APR+M may be on the horizon for me. But whatever my next career is, I’ll do it here in the great Tampa Bay area, and I know the skills I’ve learned as a soldier and a professional communicator will serve me well.

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