Silver Wings, the Columbus Air Force Base newspaper, has been known on base and in Columbus for nearly 80 years, though not always under this name.
The publication began in the late 1940s as “Alert Signal,” changed its name to “The Blueprint” before settling on “Silver Wings” in the 1970s.
After today, the weekly print publication will only have one more special edition in September, and the sun will set as Silver Wings slowly fades out of sight, but not out of mind.
Over the years, the newspaper had a huge impact on the base and in Columbus, but it also impacted deployed airmen from Columbus AFB, according to Columbus AFB’s former Chief of Public Affairs Richard “Sonic” Johnson, who retired from that role in 2019.
“Back when we had a lot of people deploying from the base, during that time we would mail Silver Wings to all of the people that were deployed,” Johnson said. “A lot of them came back and said, ‘You know I never read the paper when I was at Columbus, but when I had that down there, people who were stationed at Columbus recognized it and said, hey, you’re with Columbus.’ It increased their peer group of meeting people by their deployment.”
As time wears on, however, the way people consume media has changed significantly. For many, the first source of news is right at their fingertips on screens through social media. Communication for the local Air Force base is no exception.
Online media, especially social media, allows the base to share information and content quicker and in a manner that allows the audience to interact and share content more effectively.
Tech. Sgt. Javier Cruz, the non-commissioned officer in charge (NCOIC) for Columbus AFB Public Affairs, said the official Facebook page will be repurposed to highlight content regarding “the pilot training mission, Department of Defense programs and achievements.”
“Pre-internet, the base paper was the single point of information for programs, services and mission-related news,” Cruz wrote in an email to The Dispatch. “It was a vital resource and served as both a means to inform and preserve historical events such as landings by the Atlantis and Endeavour space shuttles here at Columbus. … The large majority of our current audience receive their news through mediums on the internet, such as social media and other visually-oriented mediums.”
Though it was not the only base paper still in circulation across the United States Air Force, it was one of the last remaining few, Cruz said.
The Commercial Dispatch has partnered with Columbus AFB Public Affairs to print Silver Wings, but the partnership has extended past more than printing. Over a decade ago, The Dispatch stepped in to design the pages and lay out content for the base paper.
The Dispatch began selling ads for Silver Wings between 2007 and 2010 because the staff recognized the importance the base newspaper had not only at Columbus AFB but also in the community. Johnson said the reach of Silver Wings during his time expanded to more than just airmen, reaching businesses, retired veterans and anyone interested in what was happening on base.
“I was always trying to build bridges between Columbus Air Force Base, her airmen, her mission and the community,” Johnson said. “… One of the cool parts of the paper was that historians use it as a source document, documenting things that happen during the year on the base. We printed 50 a year, and The Dispatch also mailed some to advertisers and civic leaders in the area. It was a great way to keep the retired community involved and in the know of what was going on. It served its purpose of the time.”
Tina Perry, pre-press manager for The Dispatch, has been involved off and on in some capacity with Silver Wings since the late ‘80s.
Perry has worked with many Silver Wings editorial teams from helping them in the ‘90s understand pagination software to now paginating the paper. She said the departure is bittersweet, and she’s enjoyed her role in Silver Wings.
“I’ve enjoyed working with them in the Public Affairs office,” Perry said. “I really liked getting to know everyone I’ve worked with at the base. They’ve done a great job covering what goes on and keeping the base informed. I’m going to miss paginating for them.”
Though the farewell is one no one in the print industry looks forward to, The Dispatch is set to continue its decades-long partnership with the base, such as periodically running news regarding base events in the physical paper, publisher Peter Imes said.
“Silver Wings has been both a literal and symbolic tie between the base and The Commercial Dispatch,” Imes said. “It’s been an honor to have produced their print edition for more than four decades. With the sunset of Silver Wings, we’re planning fresh ways to share news between the base and the community.”
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 45 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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