Joint Task Force-East Press Release

Good Morning, Romania: U.S. military radio kicks off in Romania

Joint Task Force-East
Public Affairs Office
Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base
Tel: 0040-241-60-8288
DSN: 770-8288

September 25, 2007
Advisory No. 20070925-2

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, Romania — American Forces Network Romania began broadcasting two live radio shows daily on FM 107 at the air base here from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The range of the radio broadcast is approximately eight kilometers.

"The system that we brought down here is the Tactical Mobile Radio and Television System. What this does for JTF-East is bring immediate command information along with news and entertainment to everyone deployed here to support JTF East,” said Army Lt. Col. Donald Ross, commander of AFN South in Vicenza, Italy.

AFN Romania plans to continue airing the live shows until the end of the Joint Task Force-East Proof of Principle exercise on Oct. 22.

During times when AFN Romania is not airing a live show, the broadcast signal that U.S. Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen listen to in Italy, Germany and other countries in Western Europe where U.S. service members are stationed will be available at the air base here.

Two of the six-member team are currently in Bulgaria working with U.S. and Bulgarian Soldiers at Exercise Lion Strike, the Bulgarian portion of JTF-East.

The AFN Romania team plans to produce one live on-site TV broadcast in Romania and one in Bulgaria. The live on-site TV broadcasts will be a first for American Forces Network in both countries.

"It’s great because this system is designed to support just this type of a mission,” Ross said about setting up in Romania for the first time. “It’s designed to go into an austere environment and provide that command information and news and entertainment to the troops and the folks who are deployed here until it’s time to go home. It’s great that we are able to get the system in here to perform the mission that it was designed to do."

The five Soldiers and one Sailor will also produce video news stories for airing on on-base cable systems at bases in Western Europe and via satellite around the world.

Since 1943, the American Forces Network Europe has been providing American service members, families and Defense Department civilian employees stationed in Europe with the best of American radio and television services. AFN Europe is committed to bringing the latest uncensored news, information and entertainment from the United States and around the world.

The American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) is the Defense Department agency that provides radio and television services to the U.S. military around the world. They work with the entertainment industry and provide services ranging from “The Simpsons” to National Public Radio and all points in between.

The latest music, news and information services are sent to AFN Europe and are available on a number of AM and FM stations broadcasting throughout the U.S. European Command, on-base cable systems, and via satellite decoders.

For more information regarding the JTF-E PoP exercise please contact the JTF-E Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Troy Darr, 0040 241 608 288, email: troy.darr@us.army.mil.

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