Newspaper visit puts AF in bigger picture

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Patrick Harrower
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  My shop recently took an educational trip to a local newspaper, the Sacramento Bee.

Our hosts were gracious enough to give us a tour of the areas where they write stories, print the paper and package it before delivery.

As we were leaving, being journalists ourselves, they gave us a rather large token of appreciation for visiting. We each received a metal print of that day's front page.

We all marveled at how cool the prints were at first, but as I studied mine, I couldn't help but notice the great detail put into every aspect of it. This gesture represented the work of dozens of people at that paper.

Much like the Air Force, it takes a vast magnitude of cogs performing at their absolute highest degree to accomplish the mission. The entire process took me back a bit.

The writers and photographers have to cover everything newsworthy in a timely fashion so the editor can go through it with a fine-tooth comb. One individual handles the layout and makes sure the pages flow while another has to maintain the ad space so it doesn't conflict with the news.

When a page is finally laid out, the daunting task of putting it on paper lies ahead. The massive printing presses are carefully fed rolls of paper from an underground storage citadel while millions of gallons of ink are pumped in from Olympic pool-sized vats via a maze of overhead pipes.

Then it's on to be packaged before distribution. Workers toil around the clock to get the product out to their customer, day after day, even holidays.

As I scrutinized the metal print that, at first, appeared to be just a hunk of metal, a mere disposable piece of formality in the entire process, I realized we are not unlike this hulking newspaper company.

Similar to how a pilot needs maintainers to get off the ground, a writer needs their photographer to complete the story. A cop can't guard the base without logistics troops bringing fuel onto the base for their patrol vehicles and the technicians working the printing press can't do a thing until the layout designer completes the prints.

We are at a slight disadvantage however. In the Air Force we rarely get to see that metal print of all our labors realized. We are trusted to do our jobs and contribute to the overall mission, but, for the majority of us, we don't get the luxury of seeing the big picture on a daily basis.

Have faith. We do have people keeping an eye on that metal print for us. We might not get to see every aspect of the Air Force product, but when you do your best and are dedicated, it is noticed and it makes the mission happen.