If you check your live feed, tweet, re-tweet and watch the latest viral videos, then you're among the more than 50 percent of Airmen who get their news and information from online social media.
The Air Force and Air Force Reserve understand this and have launched into the world of social media via Facebook pages, its own YouTube channel called BlueTube, Flickr, and others. Now Westover has "friended" the online community through its new
Facebook and Twitter accounts. Anyone who want to keep their finger on the pulse of the base can friend or follow Westover to get the latest news and information.
The Public Affairs office will regularly post important news and information to the Wing's Facebook and Twitter accounts.
"Communicating via social media networks is a way for our Airmen to get wing-specific information in a way they are already accustomed to receiving their information," said Maj. Wilson Camelo, Westover's Wing Public Affairs Officer. "We are excited that the Air Force and Air Force Reserve Command has embraced social media. However, we will only be successful if we provide a two-way street that allows us to get the news out and lets our Airmen, civilians, families and the community leave feedback and interact."
This ispart of a larger move by the Air Force to communicate with a growing population that no longer relies on traditional media outlets to get their news and information. According to the Air Force's 2008 Air Force Social Media Survey, 70 percent of Airmen
use YouTube and 50 percent Facebook.
Fifty percent also want the Air Force to take a more active voice in the world of online media. The trend toward online media is especially true in the Air Force Reserve, said Paul Bove, a social media strategist with the Air Force Public Affairs Agency.
"Many sites aren't accessible on Air Force networks, but most reservists have the ability to access these sites in their civilian jobs outside the military," he said.
While Facebook and Twitter are not accessible on the Westover dot mil network, steps are being taken to give reservists dot com access on base. In addition to the free Wi-Fi at the Westover Club and the six terminals available at the Airman and Family Readiness Center, the communications squadron is working to get connectivity in the lodging facilities, according to Capt. Jeremy C. Downer, the base Communications Information
Systems Officer.
For the latest news and information, 'friend' Westover on Facebook by searching 'Westover ARB' and follow tweets '@439Westover'. For more information about using social media and the Air Force, visit http://www.af.mil/shared/media/document/ AFD-091210-043.pdf and visit http://www.af.mil/socialmedia.asp for links to all Air Force social media sites. Locally, questions may be directed to public affairs by e-mail:
439aw.pa@westover.af.mil