USAF website - 10,000,000 visits

[BLUEHAWK]

AF's journal Web site logs record 10 million visits

1st Lt. Albert Bosco
Public Affairs Center of Excellence

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AETCNS) -- The U.S. Air Force's Air and Space Power Chronicles Website at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., achieved a major milestone in its 10-year history July 29 when it recorded 10 million "hits" in a 365 day period.

Home to the service's Chronicles Online Journal and electronic reproductions of its quarterly Air and Space Power Journal, the site provides instant worldwide access to professional readings written by military leaders around the world.

"Ten million Web hits in one year is a big deal to us," said Lt. Col. Paul Berg, chief of professional journals. "Of course there are many sites that log this type of activity almost daily, but they are tailored to the masses rather than focused on a select group of military professionals."

Colonel Berg said international outreach is the overarching goal of the journal, which is published in four languages and distributed to more than 90 countries.

"Every edition of the journal provides military leaders of other countries different perspectives on how we operate and what is working for us," Colonel Berg said. "It is also a forum in which foreign military leaders can share their perspectives on such issues as technology and policy and has become a very powerful tool in helping to forge positive relationships between our nations."

The colonel added the journal has been published in English since 1947 and in Spanish and Portuguese since 1949. An Arabic edition was launched in February, and a new French language edition will expand the publication's reach later this year. He added each edition is unique, and the content is selected and tailored by regional experts and native speakers for their respective audiences.

While Colonel Berg said he is pleased with the journal's overall success, he indicated the 10-million-hit milestone was an unexpected bonus.

"It's great to see these kinds of numbers, but we're looking at it as tangible proof that our dual track print and electronic distribution strategy is working," he said. "This is another way for us to be able to tell the Air Force story not only to our Airmen, but to Airmen of other countries as well in their native languages."

Colonel Berg added despite the growing use of the Web site, paper copies of the journal are a valuable complement to electronic distribution and are indispensable in areas where electronic media is either non-existent or hasn't caught on. In fact, about 130,000 copies of the journal are printed and distributed worldwide each year.

Col. David Fadok, commandant of the Air Force College of Aerospace Doctrine, Research and Education at Maxwell AFB, credited the dedication and foresight of the journal's staff with making the milestone possible.

"Producing this journal is a huge undertaking, and I am extremely proud of the folks who make it happen each quarter," Colonel Fadok said. "While reaching the 10-million-hit milestone says a lot about the program, it says even more about the people who consistently demonstrate their commitment to excellence."

The journal is available electronically at www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil.