My AFKN story isn't the most exciting, although I enjoyed my nine-plus month tour of duty in the Land of the Mourning Clam. Arrived in country the day after Thanksgiving 1972. Was assigned to AFKN News, prepared and announced newscasts for AM radio, occasionally assigned to handle a "Ten O'Clock News" on weekend TV and the all-important "Newsbeat: Korea" which I once called "Nosebleed Korea" on-air (purely by accident). After about five months, I asked for a transfer to serve as Program Director for AFKN-FM which was pretty much a one-man job programming the FM automated system, create some one-hour programs, etc.
I worked with Bobby Zix (now Kamasami Kong in Japan), Jim Kane (AF-SSG who moved on to AFN-Ramstein, etc.) and Dave McAlary (career at VOA) and Wally Cornelison (who went back to AFKN in the role of civilian director of TV operations), both retired and still in touch on occasion. Bruce Dortin was a contemporary. Have lots of stories, but little tape.
Somewhere, oh, somewhere, I've got a couple of reel-to-reel tapes with airchecks that I thought might be helpful finding a part-time radio job during grad school, but never used them. My broadcasting career was brief. I got the assignment originally because I had radio experience in college and a few months before the lottery called my number.
Received early discharge in late August 1973 to attend graduate school at Kent State (just three years after the shootings). Studied journalism/public relations. Went into public relations counseling full-time for eight years, switched to non-profit work as executive director of two Ronald McDonald Houses, gaining fundraising skills over 19 years. Worked in fundraising for two additional hospitality house programs (another ten years), then a hospice and finally as a consultant (now) as I approach semi-retirement.
Brian E. Hartzell
Hartzell Consulting
"Fundraising & Public Relations Counsel to Nonprofits since 1979"
