Kadena bids farewell to Shogun

  • Published
  • By Maj. John Hutcheson
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  After more than 25 years as the Kadena base newspaper, The Shogun hits the newsstands for the last time today. A combination of Air Force-wide manning cuts in Public Affairs and a greater emphasis on up-to-the minute web-based news delivery has resulted in the phase-out of traditional base newspapers around the Air Force. 

Today's information environment has drastically altered the way people gather and consume news. Relying solely on a base newspaper, which typically only publishes once a week, the 24/7 media environment makes it impossible for Public Affairs to keep readers informed with the timely and accurate information they demand. 

Over the past year, the 18th Wing Public Affairs office has committed more and more resources to making the Kadena public website, www.kadena.af.mil a one stop shop for Kadena news and information. Public Affairs will continue to develop and refine the site to make it more relevant and more useful for Airmen, civilians and their families assigned to Kadena. 

However, those who still prefer the printed paper can take comfort. As a result of an agreement with the current publisher, Eight Co., a new publication called the Samurai Gate will be back on the newsstands Oct. 10, keeping Airmen and their families informed about what's going on at Kadena. The paper, which will be fully controlled by the publisher, will draw news content from the Kadena website as well as other Air Force and DOD sites. The publisher will be entirely responsible for the layout, advertising, and any other content in the paper. 

The history of the base paper goes as far back as 1955 when the Vanguard served Kadena Airmen and their families. Over the years, the name has changed from the Vanguard to the Sky Blazer to the Kadena Falcon, and finally the Kadena Shogun in 1983. Despite the changes through the years, the mission has remained the same - to keep the members of the base community informed. And despite the evolution of the communication environment today, that mission continues.