 African service men and women of today are the best informed group of military personnel in the world. Through daily delivery of their own newspaper, the stars and stripes, troops overseas in Europe and in the Pacific Ocean area are kept abreast of world and national developments as well as enjoying the same type of features they find in their hometown newspapers. By means of radio, today's soldier is provided with instant news, sports reports and music wherever he may be overseas. American forces radio and television stations follow the men in uniform, broadcasting from mobile vans when no other facilities are available. For ever conditions permit, the American military man is serviced with television programming ranging from rebroadcast of network shows to locally produced news, weather, sports and information programs. Keeping the U.S. citizen in uniform in touch with home is carried out efficiently and professionally by dedicated newspaper men and broadcast technical specialists who labor at home and abroad to spread all the word to all the troops. Stars and Stripes is one of the most famous newspapers in the world today. It is written and published by servicemen, for servicemen. In practically every foreign land where our troops are on duty, the stars and stripes is there to keep them informed and to serve as a tangible link with home. The newspaper is distributed even when troops are in the field. Copies are passed around from one soldier to another. 140,000 copies of stars and stripes are printed every day in this newspaper plant at Darmstadt, Germany. The site was once an airfield for the Luftwaffe during World War II. Distribution of the historic newspaper covers the entire European theater and Mediterranean area. Papers are distributed by a vehicle, rail and air. Because the stars and stripes carries no advertising, it costs twice as much to print and distribute as it earns in circulation revenue. To make up this deficit of nearly $2 million annually, the stars and stripes operates many newsstands on military installations throughout Europe, plus a great number of bookstores. Sales of all kinds of printed matter at these outlets have turned the operation into a $14 million a year business. The history of the stars and stripes newspaper dates back to the Civil War, when two Union soldiers printed the first issue on a captured press in 1861. However, this early attempted journalism quickly died, and it was not until World War I that for the first time in military annals and journalistic history, a full-sized official Army newspaper was born, blessed by none other than the chief himself. The paper, written by the men in service, would speak the thoughts of the new American Army and the American people from whom the Army had been drawn. It is your paper, good luck to it, signed John J. Pershing, Commander-in-Chief, American Expeditionary Forces. After we had fought the war to end all wars, the stars and stripes ceased publication. Then, when America entered the Second World War, the paper began publishing in London in 1942 as a weekly tabloid. It was at this time that this newspaper, by-service men, for-service men, became the professional publication that it is today. A week after hostilities ended in Europe, Pacific Stars and Stripes began publication, the Pacific Edition of the Stars and Stripes. Publication began on October 3, 1945, and the paper has been printed and distributed from there ever since. Today, this modern four-story plant turns out more than 200,000 copies of the soldier's newspaper daily. In addition, there is a special 56-page Sunday edition. Some 60 members of the editorial staff in Tokyo and far-flung news bureaus labor over each edition of this unique newspaper. A popular with the men in uniform, the day's stars and stripes is a 24-page modern tabloid filled with national and international news, numerous photos, sports and informational features. Since the days of General Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I, no official control has ever been exercised over the contents of this newspaper. By the same token, Stripes does not editorialize and tries to be strictly an objective reporting vehicle. The soldiers themselves find expression in the paper. Poetry, written by men on duty throughout the Pacific and Southeast Asia, is regularly published in this there newspaper. Like young men everywhere, the troops enjoy girl watching, and the full-color pin-up photos published in the Pacific Stripes are eagerly sought by the paper's readers. They are printed on the Tokyo plant's big photo offset presses as the stars and stripes attempts to localize and personalize its feature stories. Each edition goes to a different area in the paper's territory of coverage. Several local news pages in each edition service the specific readership of that edition. Because distribution of the Pacific stars and stripes is accomplished by airlift, the more than 20 tons of daily newsprint paper consumed by the presses is special lightweight stock. While thousands of papers will be sold, a substantial portion of production is distributed free. The Blue Streak edition, as the free copies are called, go to troops in Vietnam, up country bases in Thailand, and ships of the Seventh Fleet. Like its European counterpart, Pacific stars and stripes puts out the paper at a loss and supports itself by operating bookstores and taking in outside military printing jobs. Today, it is a healthy $7 million business. The longest newspaper route in the world, this jetliner daily distributes the four editions of the paper over part of a three and a quarter million mile Pacific Ocean area. Deliveries cover Okinawa, Wake, Midway, Guam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand. These papers, bearing tomorrow's date line, will be delivered to the readers on day of issue. A new day is beginning along the demilitarized zone, and from somewhere along the road to the rear, a truck appears. As it reaches the lonely American outpost, those on duty recognize it as the daily newspaper delivery truck. Barracks, troops overseas always have the opportunity to buy a copy of Stars and Stripes. This is what it's all about. The newspaper for servicemen by servicemen. In these days of the transistor radio, the American serviceman is never very far from the sounds of home. Even in the most remote areas of Southeast Asia, there is music and news to help fill his lonely hours. Casting stations which air the radio programs are part of the worldwide network of American forces radio and TV stations. Sometimes they are nothing more than a mobile fan unit, serving the forward areas. Under conditions like these, power is supplied by portable generators, housed in wooden shacks. Podcast stations are located in large base camp areas, the studios, control rooms and administrative facilities are housed in more permanent structures. Program schedules are greatly expanded and offer all of the variety of a commercial stateside radio station, except of course there are no commercial products advertised. Being the troops informed is the key function of these stations. Programs of an informational nature and news reports, both local and taped from stateside transmissions, make up a part of the broadcast schedule. Regardless of where he is stationed, the American serviceman gets the news. From a military kitchen in Sauterheap, Thailand to the washroom of an army barracks in Munich, Germany, they hear it while playing a game of pool in a USO lounge in Seoul, Korea. West period while on patrol in Vietnam. It makes no difference where men may serve overseas. American forces radio reaches a large majority. Television networks throughout Southeast Asia include powerful installations operating from mobile TV fans like this one on Hantre Island off the coast of the Trang, South Vietnam. Programs, telecast from its tower, are reaching many troop units where the entertainment it provides is a key factor in morale. Defeating monotony and loneliness. In more secure areas where our military forces have established large bases, television station facilities are expanded and personnel to handle the increased capability for program production are added. The key station for the American forces Korean network located near Seoul is comparable to many TV stations at home. The network for the global network of American forces radio and television stations comes from two major centers in the US. The Washington facility of AFRTS, gathers and transmits sports, news and special events programs to the overseas stations. News copy from the commercial wire services is transformed into automated tape form here in the Washington newsroom. When later run off on transmitting facilities, these tapes are fed to receiving teletypes in AFRTS stations around the world. In this way, instantaneous news feeds are made to the entire network from Washington. By special arrangement with ABC, CBS, NBC and other program sources, the American forces radio and television service is permitted to record news, sports programs and special events aired by the networks. These free programs are then edited to remove commercial messages and transmitted to waiting AFRTS stations. In order to service American forces radio stations according to time zone and stations operating schedules, Washington sends up programs in blocks. These programs are then transmitted overseas according to strict schedules. Programs are fed to the various American forces stations by means of shortwave transmitter, landline, trans-oceanic cable or satellite circuit. In Los Angeles, California, the American forces radio and television service maintains a facility for the gathering and shipping of entertainment programs and informational material for TV viewers and radio listeners. Originally, the service began operations in Los Angeles during World War II when it was strictly a radio service. Today, the center is busily engaged in servicing 449 radio and TV outlets located outside the continental United States. By special permission from the major U.S. networks and the generosity of many sponsors, many regular shows seen and heard in American homes are taped and kinescoped for later broadcast to our troops overseas. The program is a 16-millimeter film, as is government policy all commercials are deleted from these shows before the film diversions are sent overseas. In regard to the radio stations of this global network, all special programs, music transcriptions and sound effects are also procured, processed and shipped from this headquarters. The music programs sent from Los Angeles are now transcribed in stereo and their use will expand in the future as more and more American forces radio stations begin broadcasting in stereo. You all set a number one, everybody? Okay, anytime. You ready to go, Barbara? Here we go. Can you dig it? In addition to the available music on the market, AFRTS produces many of its own radio programs made specially for the audience of military personnel. Hi there, this is Barbara Randolph with nothing but out-of-sight sounds for you today. I'm going to be featuring The Three Dog Night and Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Supremes, Blood, Sweat and Tears, just you name it and we have got it. You know, The Three Dog Night, they were the top new singles artist of 1969 and Stevie Wonder's from... National and known recording artists like Barbara Randolph appear on AFRT stations to help entertain the troops with disc jockey programs. These soldiers have definite preferences in music ranging from modern rock and soul music to certain middle-of-the-road standards and classical. AFRTS Los Angeles fulfills these needs through programming sessions such as this one. Liaison officers find performing artists willing and happy to assist in entertaining the men in service. Appearances by recording artists and motion picture stars are not limited to entertainment alone, however. Sit down, sit on the edge of the desk, we'll figure it out from there. Okay. Good enough. Stand by. I roll sound, please. Speed. Camera rolling. Slate in. Scene 62, take one, sound one. Special promotional and public service messages are also recorded and filmed at the American Forces Radio and Television Station in Los Angeles for inclusion in overseas radio and TV programming. Some personalities such as Alan Ludden, Jimmy Wakeley, Ralph Sturie, and Robert Strauss contribute greatly to the success of these short and purposeful messages for the American servicemen. Do you consider yourself nothing? Let me tell you something. How to be somebody and something, get a dictionary, get an education. You can get it. It's right at your fingertips. That's the man. The Army will provide an education for you, free of charge. Now, don't be a schnook. Get off the hook. Grab a book. Get smart. Okay. Overseas, whether it be in Europe, Alaska, the Caribbean, the Middle or Far East, the film programs received from Los Angeles AFRTS are further edited to splice in the Army produced commercials or to tailor films to the time period they will be occupying in the station schedule. Despite the thorough and continuing service these stations receive from Los Angeles and Washington, they have problems of their own in relation to local production, program schedule changes, and technical upkeep. The station commander holds meetings with his staff of military and civilian department heads on a regular basis, and decisions are made at that time. In the key station of the American Forces Korea Network in Seoul, live programs are produced which are specifically designed for the troops in Korea. These information and personality interview shows are very well received by the military audience. What importance are the daily TV news shows? Military broadcasters from various services gather and edit up to the minute news covering the national, international and local scene. At this AFKN station, the evening news program is the most comprehensive roundup of the day and is eagerly awaited by the TV audience. Photos of personalities in the news are selected for broadcast during the program which will be on the air in a matter of minutes. Motion picture film clips covering various stories are sorted to line up for the order of their appearance on the show. Finally, the show is set. This nightly news broadcast is as close to stateside commercial standards as the local staff and equipment can produce. Sports news and television coverage of major sporting events play a vital role in American Forces radio and television programming. Today's vigorous young soldiers are sports-oriented, and any big league football, baseball, basketball, hockey, or other sporting event is considered prime television fare. Despite the news and sports, weather reporting segments are an important part of daily programming. Men and women in uniform do this job well, gathering their information from military weather bureaus equipped with the latest data gathering devices. Numerous other types of live production studio shows are aired from time to time. A composer and singer of folk music provides an interesting half-hours entertainment. Those which inform the viewers on a variety of subjects are popular. Here, a trainer of military guard dogs explains the function of these animals and puts on a demonstration showing what happens to enemy agents trying to penetrate U.S. bases under cover of darkness. Guest appearances by visiting sports champions, show business personalities, and other notables are also telecasts live from the studios. Guests to be shown on the day's schedule must be inspected, cued, and logged to be sure they are ready for air. On special occasions, station technicians make videotape recordings of sports events which are transmitted from the United States by means of satellite. Films of the event are immediately shipped to stations for rebroadcast in a matter of hours after it has been played. Broadcast day, station engineers are on duty in the master control room. It is their responsibility to control the station's continuous output to the channel transmitter located some distance from the studios. The requirement for technical maintenance in these AFRTS stations is constant. A television broadcasting station is one of the most delicate and complex technical installations in the world of electronic science. There are literally thousands of areas where troubles can develop and any one of them can put the station off the air. This work is not confined to studio equipment alone, but also is carried out on the station's outdoor transmission towers. So the bulk of programming in these overseas television stations comes from AFRTS in Los Angeles. The continuing flow of TV entertainment is due in large part to the men who work behind the scenes of these stations all over the world. Somewhere on Guam, a service man sits writing to his wife. As he expresses his devotion, he is soothed by the music of love because of this man who broadcasts the music from a small radio studio in a Kwanzit hut miles away. A barber shop in Korea, a soldier reads the news of the day while he gets a haircut and in South Vietnam, a bunch of motor pool mechanics get their copy of today's paper. Because of these newspaper men who write and publish the Pacific edition of the Stars and Strikes, a sports program holds the attention of these American service men at a USO club in Thailand because of a videotaping technician at the area television station. In a day room at a Korean base, today's US soldiers watch the adventures of another time and another war thanks to technical men like this television engineer who controls the programs on the air. And to the other members of the American Forces Radio and Television Service who, along with their counterparts on the newspaper staffs of Stars and Strikes, labor long and hard with unceasing devotion to spread all the word to all the troops.