American Forces Network — Global Station Footprint

Department of War Information Activity — Component Overview

American Forces Network

AFN · Est. 1942 · www.afn.mil

Mission

To provide U.S. Commanders with a unique means to communicate command information promoting situational awareness, sustaining readiness, providing immediate force protection information, and to enhance the well-being of the authorized audience.

Vision

To be the indispensable messaging medium of choice for supported commanders, commands, and clients.

Authorities: DoDI 5120.20 | DoDD 5105.74

24 Broadcast Stations

5 CCMD AORs Served

160+ Countries & Territories

9 TV Channels

1 Custom Radio Format

2 Streaming Platforms

01 Organizational Structure / Chain of Supervision

DWIA Director (SES-3)

Department of War Information Activity

Fort Meade, Maryland

AFN Director (GS-15)

Responsible for enterprise mission performance

Fort Meade, Maryland

PMD

Program Management Directorate

Fort Meade, MD

Requirements, acquisitions & resourcing
Policy, doctrine & standards oversight
Network-wide planning & coordination

SCD

Strategic Comms Directorate

Fort Meade, MD

Strategy development & message alignment
SecWar support & senior leader engagement
Network-wide strategic communications

BCD

Broadcasting Directorate

Fort Meade, MD

Central content operations & playout
9 TV channels · Eagle radio format
AFN Now and AFN Go streaming services

AFN E

AFN Europe

Sembach, Germany

15 AFN stations
1 Regional Media Center
1 Regional Bureau
Supporting EUCOM, CENTCOM, SOUTHCOM

AFN P

AFN Pacific

Yokota AB, Japan

9 AFN stations
1 Regional Media Center
3 Regional Bureaus
Supporting INDOPACOM

02 AFN's Global Footprint

AFN units

CCMDs supported

Europe stations

Pacific stations

AOR EUCOM CENTCOM SOUTHCOM INDOPACOM EUCOM + AFRICOM TYPE Regional HQ / RMC AFN HQ

AFN Europe 16 units · 15 stations + HQ

Unit Name Audience

AFN Pacific 11 units · 10 stations + HQ

Unit Name Audience

03 Staffing Rationale — The 10-Position Station Model

Standard Station Structure

E-7Station Manager

E-6Operations Manager

~E-5Producer

~E-5/LNTechnician 1

~E-5/LNTechnician 2

This 10-position standard allows AFN to set requirements, create SOPs, design training, and steer where stations focus their resources based on consistent workload factors.

Capability vs. Staffing Level

Task	1 Person	2 People	3 People	4+ People
Mandatory training	FULL	FULL	FULL	FULL
Skills training	FULL	FULL	FULL	FULL
Live local morning radio show	FULL	FULL	FULL	FULL
Radio interview program	FULL	FULL	FULL	FULL
Radio spot production	FULL	FULL	FULL	FULL
Local drop-ins to regional radio show	NONE	LIMITED	FULL	FULL
Live local afternoon shows	NONE	NONE	FULL	FULL
ENG shooting	NONE	NONE	LIMITED	FULL
ENG production	NONE	NONE	NONE	FULL
Social media support*	NONE	NONE	LIMITED	FULL
Radio news story	NONE	NONE	NONE	FULL
Radio newscast	NONE	NONE	NONE	FULL
Radio remote broadcast	NONE	NONE	NONE	FULL

* Baseline social media support is included with live local radio shows

Client-Validated Priorities

Station Clients — Installation Commanders & PAOs

Live Radio

24/7 CI delivery to military communities via the commander's immediate, direct mass communication tool. Live local shows build community habit while conditioning commanders and SMEs to use the medium so when urgent information matters, the audience is already tuned in.

Social Media

AFN-branded platforms amplifying and supporting local/regional command messages with a unique, trusted voice.

Video (Community announcements and CI spots)

Video segments produced to air for localized audiences in AFN's program streams. Additionally, social media video widens reach.

Higher-Level Commanders & CCMDs

Video Support

TV/social media news stories, spots, b-roll, VI documentation support. RMCs and RMBs serve as AFN's expeditionary arm for higher command requirements.

Social Media Support

Amplifying messages with unique voice(s) at CCMD and subordinate command levels.

Live Radio

Lower priority for CCMDs/SSCs — does not target their desired audiences. There are exceptions (USAFE PAO values radio highly, for example).

Source: Formal client survey data from 2017. These responses have been reinforced, validated and confirmed by commanders and PAOs consistently thereafter.

04 Capabilities & Services

📡

Command Information (CI)

CI messages from senior leaders is weaved into all AFN content streams. Products and services enhance situational awareness, readiness, and force protection through targeted audio, video, and digital products.

🚨

Crisis Communication

AFN provides essential real-time information during conflict, natural disaster, or other emergencies. Skills are practiced routinely, including in conjunction with host installation exercises.

📻

Radio & TV

AFN delivers radio and television broadcasts laced with critical, relevant CI. Live local radio shows during morning and evening drive times at each station are built around topical local command information.

▶️

Streaming Services

AFN Go is a free internet radio service streaming AFN's local stations. AFN Now is the streaming video service delivering live news, sports, and entertainment as well as video on demand globally via authorized apps and decoders.

🎬

Multimedia Production

Regional Media Centers (RMCs) at Sembach Kaserne and Yokota Air Base produce textual, visual, and audio products for CCMDs and subordinate commands using RPIE-driven communication planning and measurement.

📱

Social & Digital Media

Each AFN station produces content for social media platforms, banner ads and push notifications for the apps, and installation-specific digital channels. Server-side ad insertion enables targeted CI delivery.

05 What We Deliver

📻 Radio — 1 Custom Format

AFN The Eagle Hot Adult Contemporary — single standardized format deployed across all AFN stations. Locally hosted live shows during morning and evening drive times.

📣 Strategic Communication Support

Radio Command message integration across AFN The Eagle and local station breaks
TV / Streaming Video Produced command messaging spots and live coverage distributed via AFN channels and AFN Now
Photo Event coverage and imagery support for command public affairs requirements
Social Media Station-driven posts, reels, and short-form video amplifying command priorities

🌐 Digital Platforms

AFN Go Internet radio app — 25 localized streams, 24/7
AFN Now Streaming live news, sports, entertainment, video on demand + CI
AFN Socials Station-produced posts, clips, and graphics

📦 Distribution Methods

IP / internet streaming (AFN Now / AFN Go)
Over-the-air FM / AM transmitters
Base cable systems (contractor-distributed)
Direct-to-Sailor (DTS) satellite

06 Clients & Authorized Audience

USEUCOM

U.S. European Command

USINDOPACOM

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command

USCENTCOM

U.S. Central Command

USSOUTHCOM

U.S. Southern Command

USAFRICOM

U.S. Africa Command

Authorized Audience: U.S. military service members, DoD civilian employees, and authorized family members stationed outside the United States, its territories, and possessions. Additionally, AFN serves installation commanders, unit public affairs officers, military exchange customers, and allied/partner-nation personnel at co-located facilities. Client engagement is guided by the RPIE process — measuring impact and reporting outcomes back to the supported commander.

07 Strategic Framework — Ends, Ways & Means

Ends

Empower commanders to communicate with forces and families
Increase awareness, readiness, and force protection
Enhance well-being of forward-stationed forces

Ways

Provide an experience comparable to what's available stateside
Use RPIE to produce CI on behalf of commanders
Deliver CI to the audience while they consume entertainment

Means

Acquire the best programming at zero cost
Schedule CI with programming for seamless delivery
Operate distribution platforms: radio, satellite, internet
Measure effectiveness; report to the client

RPIE Process

R Research

P Planning

I Implementation

E Evaluation

All AFN command information products are developed and assessed through RPIE. Measurable objectives are set with the client; outcomes are reported back, then used to inform the next cycle.

Governing SOIs

SOI 80-01 — AFN Mission & Station Operations
SOI 80-02 — Product Content Standards
SOI 80-03 — Requirements & Acquisitions
SOI 80-04 — Policy Considerations in Broadcasting
SOI 80-06 — AFN Systems Guide
SOI 80-08 — Content Selection & Promotion

Station Clients — Installation Commanders & PAOs

Higher-Level Commanders & CCMDs

📺 Television — 9 Channels

📻 Radio — 1 Custom Format

📣 Strategic Communication Support

🌐 Digital Platforms

📦 Distribution Methods

RPIE Process

Governing SOIs