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Program keeps Airmen's achievements in hometown news

By Staff Sgt. Shawn J. Jones, 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs / Published October 09, 2008

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SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- With a few simple keystrokes and the click of a mouse, Airmen can tell their Air Force story to hometown newspapers across America.

"It is every Airman's job to tell the great Air Force story, and the Hometown News release program is one of the best ways to tell our story to folks back home and to homes across America," said Capt. Kristen Duncan, 4th Fighter Wing public affairs chief.

The Hometown News program helps to promote the deeds of Airmen to their hometown newspapers. The program, which is managed by the Joint Hometown News Service in San Antonio, sends more than 500,000 news releases to more than 14,000 media outlets in every U.S. state and territory each year.

"Many servicemembers are away from home for the first time, and the program helps bridge the gap," said Rich Lamance, Hometown News print division chief. "Even for those who have been in the military for several years, the program is a way to reconnect to people back in their hometown community."

While the program keeps Airmen connected to their hometowns, it also connects those hometowns to the Air Force.

"Most towns and cities that don't have an Air Force base nearby miss out on the many stories of how Airmen are fighting in the Global War on Terror," Captain Duncan said. "They miss out on hearing about how our explosive ordnance disposal teams, security forces and military working dogs are outside the wire in the joint war environment, and they miss out on hearing how our Strike Eagles put bombs on target, on time for America, how our maintainers keep those jets flying, and how our civil engineers and medics take care of Iraqis and Afghanis. This program is the lifeline to tell those stories across the country."

Telling the individual Airman's story provides grassroots America a glimpse of their Air Force that is much different than what is typically offered by the national news media.

"We are in a constant war for hearts and minds, and our Airmen act as strategic communicators with every submission to the Hometown News release program. Every career move and newsworthy event in an Airman's time in the Air Force helps tell the Air Force story," Captain Duncan said. 

When an Airman deploys, changes duty stations, earns an award or gets promoted, they can submit an electronic Hometown News release form (DD Form 2266). The Joint Hometown News Service converts the information on the form into a commercial-quality news release ready for printing in hometown newspapers across the nation, Mr. Lamance said.

Airmen who participate in the program can shed a positive light on themselves and the Air Force.

"It shows our young Airmen take pride in their work and in their careers, and it shows they are proud to say 'I am an American Airman,'" Captain Duncan said. 

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Editor's Note: The Hometown News release form is located on the home page of the Seymour Johnson AFB public Web site (www.seymourjohnson.af.mil) or can be accessed by clicking here.
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