Photo By Staff Sgt. Danny McCormick | DVIDS video editor, Spc. Nicole Dague, edits one of thousands of holiday greeting sent...... read more read more
Story by Spc. Tanya Van Buskirk, Third U.S. Army Public Affairs Office
ATLANTA " (December, 2005) Using state of the art technology at the Atlanta based Digital Video and Imagery Distribution Systems (DVIDS) hub and hours of filming by numerous public affairs units throughout the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility, Third U.S. Army Public Affairs troops stationed at the hub collected, coordinated and distributed nearly 7,000 holiday greetings for 2005, helping a holiday tradition to reach service members' loved ones back home.
"We latched on to this old idea and kind of made it new with our satellite technology," said Liliburn, Ga. native Sgt. 1st Class Michael Wetzel, DVIDS Non-commissioned officer in charge. "Our public affairs units are out there taping greetings. They transmit them to us, and then we turn them around and give them to any media that wants them."
The DVIDS website (www.dvidshub.net) is the core of the system with multi-functionality. Greetings are posted for the media to preview; they can then request a segment of broadcast quality to air on television. On demand, family members can access and view their servicemember's greetings, read stories and download photos of their troop.
"It is great to have the public website so families can access it whenever they want. Families appreciate being able to see the greeting over and over again, and troops like knowing it is there for their loved ones," said Wetzel.
Third U.S. Army PAO Soldiers working at the DVIDS hub receive the videos in batches of 80-90 greetings through satellite transmitters set-up throughout the CENTCOM AOR.
"We edit them to be individual greetings then export them to the website. Then it's time for the media relations specialists to market the greetings to Soldiers" hometowns," said Alta Loma, Calif., native Spc. Nicole Dague, DVIDS video editor. "Knowing that each one of the 7,000 servicemembers were able to connect with their families over the holidays helps us stateside deployed Soldiers feel like we are part of the war effort, keeping those fighting the fight connected to their loved ones," she added.
"Third U.S. Army Public Affairs Offices in Kuwait and Multi National Corp Iraq public affairs units have been an incredible help to us at the DVIDS hub," said Atlanta, Ga., native Martin R. Humphrey, media relations manager, DVIDS.
"Whenever we need any logistical help in coordinating live interviews they are big players in that effort," Humphrey added. "Once we see the greetings hit the website, we are able to contact each Soldier's hometown and generate interest in airing a greeting from one of their own."
There are seven civilians working at the DVIDS hub as media relations specialists, getting the Soldiers" stories out of the AOR and into the homes of people around the world.
"We are dedicated year-round to distributing accurate and reliable access to troops on the battlefield, but the demand is greatest during the holiday season. This year we had more of a variety of troops doing greetings; servicemembers in Pakistan helping with the earthquake relief efforts, Sailors onboard ships and troops in Africa have all submitted greetings because DVIDS is able to get to them with the small, mobile transmitters used to link them to us here in Atlanta," said Wetzel.
The media gets access to the greetings by working with the DVIDS hub.
"This is the first year we have done this many greetings, and most came from DVIDS," said Mike Dreaden, managing editor, ABC affiliate, WSB-TV, Channel 2, Atlanta, Ga.
Dreaden says they get a lot of great response from the family members, and he feels it is a great way to pay tribute to the troops.
"We call the family member before the greeting airs letting them know approximately what time to tune in to see their Soldiers," said Josh Eure, executive producer, WSB-TV.
Thousands of websites feature a link back to the DVIDS hub website. DVIDS is viewed as a source for stories, interviews, photos, publications and data straight from troops in the heat of the battle, and with the help of the Third Army PAO and civilians at the DVIDS hub, more stories are available for the media without having to be there to gather the news themselves.
"This sort of connection to the troops is so important to families and servicemembers and a service we hope will continue to be a holiday tradition," added Eure.
| Date Taken: | 01.05.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 01.05.2006 14:18 |
| Story ID: | 4287 |
| Location: | ATLANTA, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 669 |
| Downloads: | 140 |
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