CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – 5 Star Radio and Clarksvillenow.com was paid a special visit Monday by a group of Soldiers from Fort Campbell.  Five Soldiers with the 3^rd Brigade Combat Team Information Operations, and Public Affairs Office toured the radio stations to learn more about their daily operations.

(to see the photo gallery CLICK HERE)
 
5 Star Radio welcomed Major Matthew Wolverton, Staff Sergeant Abram Pinnington, Staff Sergeant John Briggs, Sergeant Keba Baird and Sergeant Alan Graziano from the 101^st Airborne Division.  5-Star Radio features stations Q-108, Beaver 100.3 FM, Eagle 94.3, Z 97.5 and Sports Radio 540 The Fan along with the local news website, Clarksvillenow.com.    
 
The 3^rd Brigade is scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom later this summer.  “We have radio stations that we can broadcast information out to Afghans and we just wanted to get ideas to see what we can do to make that better,” said Major Matthew Wolverton with the 3^rd Brigade.
 
Staff Sergeant Abram Pinnington with the brigade Public Affairs Office talked about how much the staff at the radio station and his public affairs office at Fort Campbell have in common because they are both media and the only difference was his people were Soldiers serving in the Army.
 
Pinnington talked about one of the challenges in reporting both broadcast and print news stories in Afghanistan which is the many remote areas that are found in the country.  Pinnington added that will pose some logistical and strategic situations that will have to be overcome.   
 
The Soldiers spent time in the Eagle 94.3 studio sitting in with air personalities like CC Carmack who handles afternoons on the air.  Carmack shared details about her work as an on-air announcer and also talked about some of her other duties she is involved with at the radio stations.
 
Chief Engineer for 5 Star Radio, Troy Owens, talked to the Soldiers about many of the technical aspects of how the radio stations operate here at home while the Soldiers discussed with Owens some of their planned broadcast operations in Afghanistan.                           
 
5 Star Radio Operations Manager and Program Director for Beaver 100.3 FM and Z 97.5, Jared Mims, answered questions from the Soldiers about issues of programming both news and music for the radio stations.   
Clarksvillenow.com reporter, Art Conn documented the Soldiers visit in photos while Sarah Copeland, Content Editor for Clarksvillenow.com spoke with the Soldiers about social media.  Social media which will be a top priority is expected to help not only with getting the news to their listeners and readers in Afghanistan but also to the folks back home. 
 
Rob Selkow, News Director for 5-Star Radio and Clarksvillenow.com shared his enthusiasm about the Soldiers visit.  “They don’t realize how awesome we think they are.  It’s so far from what we do everyday and we’re always impressed whenever they’re here doing anything.  We’re very happy when we thought we were helping them and it turns out they’re helping us,” Selkow said.
 
The 3^rd Brigade Soldiers and staff members of 5 Star Radio and Clarksvillenow.com came away from their time spent together with more understanding of the work that each one does and how to find ways to better serve and inform the public both civilian and military. 





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