RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --
The Armed Forces Network Kaiserslautern
provides information and entertainment for U.S. Department of Defense personnel
and families across the Kaiserslautern Military Community, to include
Baumholder. In January, AFN updated their frequency from 100.2 to 105.1, allowing
them to access even more of their 64,000 potential audience.
U.S. specification radios cannot access
even-numbered frequencies like the old 100.2.
“We had a hard time reaching half our potential
audience when they’re in vehicles, which is when people listen to radio,” said
Master Sgt. Christina Nelson, AFN Kaiserslautern affiliate manager.
Since part of AFN broadcasts include
weather and traffic information, it is important to be able to reach people
while they are driving.
After a 15 year struggle, the AFN team was
finally able to switch over to an odd number frequency, Nelson said. It was a
challenge to work through the German government and find an available
frequency.
“This time we were determined to make it
happen,” Nelson said.
According to Nelson, AFN Kaiserslautern’s
mission is to promote command information for the Rhineland Pfalz garrison and
86th Airlift Wing commanders, and to provide and entertainment to
KMC military members and AFN audiences. She said that one of the most important
impacts that AFN has is giving the KMC a sense of home and bringing them opportunities
to come together by advertising events happening in the community. She said
that with the new frequency, AFN is bringing people together in higher numbers
than before. They have had more phone calls, more interaction on their Facebook
page, more people calling in traffic reports and more involvement in their
contests.
AFN Kaiserslautern’s biggest customer, the
86th Force Support Squadron, has benefitted from increased reach as
well. The 86th FSS provides morale-building opportunities and ways
to stay connected with the community such as Outdoor Recreation trips and a
variety classes and youth programs.
“We have a really good partnership with
AFN Kaiserslautern and they cover a lot of our events,” said Kelsey Kukharev,
86th FSS marketing specialist. “They have two spots per week for FSS
events, and our facility managers such as Outdoor Recreation and the Arts and Crafts
Center usually get a couple of spots too.”
Kakharev said the new frequency helped FSS
raise bigger event turnouts allowing them to have a bigger impact on the
community. Their biggest event of the year, Freedom Fest, drew larger numbers
this year after advertising on the new frequency.
When the 86th FSS began
advertising the 8 for 8 Vogelweh bowling center program, no one signed up. The
program supports Recharge for Resiliency, an initiative helping U.S. Airmen and families impacted by
deployments. Without participation, FSS would have lost the money they
invested in the event, however, after advertising on AFN Kaiserslautern’s new
frequency, they got the participants they needed for the program.
The hard work and dedication that AFN
Kaiserslautern went through to make the new frequency happen is paying off.
Broader information dissemination gives more people in the KMC a way to stay
informed, entertained and connected.