Changes to Hometown News Program gives cadets, Airmen chance to tell their story Published March 31, 2014 By Tech Sgt. Vann Miller U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Thanks to very recent changes in how the Joint Hometown News Service does business, Cadets and Academy staff can now submit stories to media outlets of their choice via the new Hometown News Release web-based form. The Joint Hometown News Service is part of the Defense Media Activity, the Defense Department's "direct line of communication for news and information to U.S. forces worldwide," according to the organization's website, www.dma.mil. The new process is quicker than previous processes and allows Airmen to submit a form without using a common access card or security key from any computer at https://jhns.release.dma.mil/public. Another advantage to this new system deals with the Public Affairs administration process, said Michael Tolzmann, print operations division chief of the Joint Hometown News Service. "Public affairs-level accounts are CAC-enabled and are the locations where your organization's submissions are approved," he said. "If you move to another Public Affairs function or office, your registration moves with you - so there's no need to reregister." The Hometown News Service continues to offer Airmen an avenue to get the word of their accomplishments to friends and family, said Meade Warthen, Academy Public Affairs Media Relations division chief. "Because today's generation of cadets are computer savvy and use social media daily, tools like the web-based release enable them to get the word of their lives and accomplishments at the Academy back to their home communities in the quickest and most accurate manner possible," he said. "With the new changes to the hometown news release process, cadets can play the primary role in telling their story." The Hometown News Release program can help overcome one of the greatest recruitment challenges the Academy Admissions offices faces, said Capt. Christina Harris, Academy Admissions deputy regional director. "Many see little distinction, if any, between enlisting in the military and enrolling in military academies," she said. "When cadets share their diverse opportunities here at USAFA and expound on the opportunities which follow graduation, it paints a truer picture of life at the Air Force's Academy." The Hometown News Release program helps establish credibility, Harris said. "If the cadet is from the same hometown as a student, then personal cadet stories can help to alleviate doubts that student may have about applying to the Academy," she said.