AFN Iraq was the American Forces Network of radio stations within Iraq. The network, nicknamed Freedom Radio, broadcast news, information, and entertainment programs, including adult contemporary music. Its mission was to "sustain and improve the morale and readiness" of U.S. forces in Iraq.
The first song played live on AFN was "Freedom" by Paul McCartney.
The network includes the following transmitter sites and their power, if known (status as of October 2008):
The 222nd Broadcast Operations Detachment, a United States Army Reserve unit, from Los Angeles, California took control of AFN Radio & Television in August 2003. The 222nd Broadcast Operations Detachment was relieved by the 209th Broadcast Operations Detachment (USAR) from Rome, Georgia, in August 2004. In August 2005 the 206th Broadcast Operations Detachment (USAR), from Dallas, Texas relieved the 209th Broadcast Operations Detachment. In August 2006 the 356th Operations Detachment (USAR), from Ft. Meade, Maryland, relieved the 206th Broadcast Operations Detachment. In August 2007, the US Air Force assumed control of AFN Iraq until February 2009. In March 2009, the 222nd Broadcast Operations Detachment (USAR), from Los Angeles, Calif. assumed control of the station. In March 2010, the 209th Broadcast Operations Detachment (USAR) from Rome, Georgia again assumed command of AFN-I. 2004- T-shirts sold through area AAFES outlets, depicted CH46 helicopters flying over a herd of camels, on a dark blue heavy weight 100% cotton T. "More 'Raq, less Taq" was the wording. A very popular item at the time.
Freedom Journal Iraq was produced by the electronic news gathering (ENG) team of the American Forces Network-Iraq, five times a week until 2009. The 10-minute newscast was produced Monday through Friday and uploaded via satellite to the Pentagon Channel in Washington D.C. Originally, the program was produced weekly.
The newscast was awarded 1st and 2nd place Keith L. Ware Broadcast Journalism Awards in 2005 for best Army Television Newscast while being produced by the 206th Broadcast Operations Detachment.
Broadcast journalists have traveled the entire theater of operations in support of Freedom Journal Iraq, from Kuwait to Turkey. Although not designated combat camera correspondents, a few broadcast journalists have been awarded the Combat Action Badge for their duty serving at American Forces Network-Iraq.[ citation needed ]
Freestyle Iraq is produced by AFN-Iraq. Created by members of the 222nd BOD, Freestyle Iraq is a production that highlights service members in their "off" time. The show won 2nd place in the 2010 Keith L. Ware awards.
The 206th BOD resumed control of AFN Iraq in December 2010. The 206th was the last unit to man the TV-radio station. September 30, 2011, was the last day on the air for Freedom Radio. The last song played was "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American)" by country singer Toby Keith, and the last piece of audio ever heard on the station was Porky Pig's famous "That's all Folks!" exclamation. [1] [2]
Tikrit is a city in Iraq, located 140 kilometres (87 mi) northwest of Baghdad and 220 kilometres (140 mi) southeast of Mosul on the Tigris River. It is the administrative center of the Saladin Governorate. As of 2012, it had a population of approximately 160,000.
The 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, also officially known as The Arkansas Brigade, is an infantry brigade combat team of the Army National Guard composed of personnel from the U.S. states of Arkansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. The unit is the largest Army National Guard command in Arkansas and is headquartered at the Camp Robinson Maneuver Training Center. It was ordered into federal service in 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. The 39th was attached to the 1st Cavalry Division and served in and around Baghdad for a year, returning to the United States in March 2005.
The American Forces Network (AFN) is a government television and radio broadcast service the U.S. military provides to those stationed or assigned overseas. Headquartered at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, AFN's broadcast operations, which include global radio and television satellite feeds, emanate from the AFN Broadcast Center/Defense Media Center in Riverside, California. AFN was founded on 26 May 1942, in London as the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS).
The Far East Network (FEN) was a network of American military radio and television stations, primarily serving U.S. Forces in Japan, Okinawa, the Philippines, and Guam.
Below is an estimated list of the major units deployed within the Multi-National Force – Iraq and other United States military units that were operating in Iraq under the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) in 2009, during the Iraq War.
Camp Taji, also known as Camp Cooke, is a military installation used by Iraqi and Coalition forces near Taji, Baghdad Governorate, Iraq. The camp is located in a rural region approximately 27 km (17 mi) north of the capital Baghdad.
Camp Al-Saqr, referred to by some media sources as Camp Falcon, Forward Operating Base Falcon, Joint Security Station (JSS) Falcon, or Combat Outpost Falcon, was a United States military forward operating base in Iraq a short distance outside Baghdad, some 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) south of the Green Zone. In OIF 2004; it was designated as "Camp Ferrin-Huggins". As of 2009, the base housed up to 5,000 troops.
The United States Marine Corps' Anti-Terrorism Battalion was a specialized infantry battalion that would deploy on a short notice in response to terrorist attacks during the Global War on Terror. Anti-Terrorism Battalion is now a disbanded unit of the United States Marine Corps.
732 ESFS/Detachment 3 and 732 ESFS/Detachment 2 was a United States Air Force Security Forces unit sent to support Police Transition Teams in Baghdad, Iraq from 2005 until July 31, 2010. It was a "Request for Forces" (RFF) #619 or "In Lieu Of" agreement between the United States Air Force and United States Army. Rff 619 earned multiple unit awards and its members receiving individual awards as the Army Combat Action Badge, Air Force Combat Action Medal, Purple Heart, and the Bronze Star. The 732 ESFS is one of the most highly decorated and regarded Air Force units that participated in OIF.
The 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment is a battalion of the 68th Armor Regiment, United States Army.
Forward Operating Base Iskandariyah (Arabic:إسكندرية), or FOB Iskandariyah, was a United States military forward operating base located on the grounds of the Musayyib Power Plant and the banks of the Euphrates River, north of the town of Musayyib, Babil Governorate, Iraq from 2003 to 2009.
The 20th Infantry Regiment is a United States Army infantry regiment. Currently only the 5th Battalion of the 20th Infantry still exists. Stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and part of the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, 5-20 Infantry was one of the original battalions selected to take part in the testing and fielding of the Army's new Stryker vehicle.
The mass media in Iraq includes print, radio, television, and online services. Iraq became the first Arab country to broadcast from a TV station, in 1954. As of 2020, more than 100 radio stations and 150 television stations were broadcasting to Iraq in Arabic, English, Kurdish, Turkmen, and Neo-Aramaic.
The 10th Public Affairs Detachment is a U.S. Army tactical, 31-person unit providing a Battalion level headquarters and is composed of Public Affairs and support professionals, commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel and Command Sergeant Major.
The 206th Field Artillery Regiment is a United States artillery regiment, currently represented in the Arkansas Army National Guard by the 1st Battalion, 206th Field Artillery, Headquartered at Russellville, Arkansas. The 1–206th FA is an element of the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
Qayyarah Airfield West is an Iraqi Air Force base in the Qayyarah subdistrict of Mosul District in northern Iraq. It was captured by U.S. Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. It was also known as Q–West or Key West by the various U.S. Army Forces and civilian contractors stationed there. Control of the base was returned to Iraq in March 2020.
Al Taqaddum Airbase, or Al Taqaddum AB, , is an air base that is located in central Iraq, approximately 74 kilometers west of Baghdad, at Habbaniyah. The airfield is served by two runways 13,000 and 12,000 feet (3,700 m) long. Since 2004, it has been known as Camp Taqaddum. It was formerly known as Tammuz Airbase.
AFN Bremerhaven was originally an "Armed Forces Radio and Television Service" (AFRTS) station.. The Bremerhaven affiliate station was located in northern Germany. At the time, it was part of the "American Forces Network - Europe." AFN Bremerhaven began broadcasting in 1945, originally as AFN Bremen.
Stationed in Bell, CA, the 222nd Broadcast Operations Detachment (BOD) is an Army Reserve public affairs unit that is capable of operating an Armed Forces Network (AFN) radio/television station as well as providing media relations support for the U.S. Army Reserves, Regular Army, and Department of Defense. Their products include videography packages such as video news releases (VNR), B-Roll packages, veteran history projects, and training videos. The 222nd has a long, proud history of telling the stories of soldiers as they serve all over the world. Most recently, the 222nd supported the U.S. Army's public affairs mission with two, year-long tours of duty in Baghdad, Iraq, were the unit was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), 2003–2004. The 222nd BOD supports the 201st Press Camp Headquarters (PCH) in Bell, CA, and the 63rd Regional Support Command (RSC) in Mountain View, CA.
142nd Division Sustainment Support Battalion is a multifunctional logistics headquarters. It is task organized as a Division Sustainment Support Battalion with capability required to support specified mission requirements. The CSSB supports echelon above brigade units, multifunctional brigades, functional support brigades, and brigade combat teams. The CSSB may support Army special operations forces as part of their area support task. The 142nd DSSB is currently stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, and is a subordinate unit of the 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade.
