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JBSA News
NEWS | July 1, 2010

AFRS films Lackland training

By Mike Joseph 502nd Air Base Wing OL-A Public Affairs

Looking to build on the recent success of its Web site's basic military training video, the Air Force Recruiting Service returned to Lackland June 21-25 to film several technical school career fields for a new AirForce.com technical training video.

The new video is part of AirForce.com's content upgrade, which targets potential recruits with educational and informative Web-based products about the Air Force.

Lackland lifestyle highlights were also filmed for an upcoming feature section on unique and best Air Force locations worldwide.

The BMT video and upcoming technical school production will escalate the communication connection for the viewer on AirForce.com through sight and sound. The majority of national Air Force recruiting leads come from the Web site.

"The BMT story is the second most viewed item on AirForce.com," said Frank Radis, interactive account executive who manages the site. "We've been averaging 860,000 visitors per month (on the Web site), and 80 percent of the national leads come through AirForce.com."

Lackland was one of four training bases AFRS filmed to tell the technical school story. The other installations were Goodfellow and Sheppard Air Force Bases, Texas, and Keesler AFB, Miss. Various career fields were filmed at each base along with lifestyle highlights for future Web site content.

Career fields featured at Lackland included services, loadmaster and security forces, which is the largest career field in the Air Force. The crew also filmed combat control training, special operations weather training, the pararescue indoctrination course, the child development center and education center.

Mr. Radis said the basis for the technical school video was to illustrate for Web site visitors and potential recruits the next step after completing BMT.

"We wanted to show there are different career fields in the Air Force besides being a pilot," Mr. Radis said. "We have a lot of young kids and health care professionals (viewing the site).

"We got a perspective from the instructors and the students on training - what it's like and what challenges a student faces for a (particular) career field. We tried to (include the enlisted) career fields in mechanical, administrative, general and electronics."

Web site studies reveal a video longer than a minute is unlikely to be viewed. Mr. Radis said the technical school video, expected to launch in October, would be generic across the Air Force and quick hitting.

But the biggest challenge facing the production team would be the editing process.

"The hard part is we've got all this great footage we have to compress down so it's quick and easy to maneuver around," said Mr. Radis.

"We were at four bases shooting for at least a week. We started early in the morning and we'd go into the night. Now," he replied with a laugh, "we have tons of video to be edited.

"We've had a strong career section on the Web site," he said. "Now, on the technical school side, we'll show the related careers, and how to obtain certifications and college credits for specialty career fields."

Still photographers also accompanied the film crew. The crew was comprised of 20 members from an advertising agency and recruiting service personnel. Mr. Radis said the still photography images would be incorporated into brochures and direct mail marketing.