HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- The base recently launched a new and improved official Twitter account: @HAFB. People who follow @HAFB can get access to pertinent service-, command- and base-unique news, information and photos.
"Using Twitter gives us and unique and immediate means to communicate with base employees and the public," said George Jozens, 75th Air Base Wing director of public affairs. "This name change is being made to give the base a simpler and more recognizable Twitter handle."
The base's old Twitter account, which can be found under the handle @TeamHill_UT, currently boasts a little more than 280 followers, but its proverbial doors are closing.
If you're a follower of this handle, you will shortly be getting a tweet to follow @HAFB. Recent tweets and a static message posted to the account direct current and prospective followers to the new @HAFB account.
The use of social media is a relatively new endeavor for Hill AFB. The Department of Defense issued a policy change in 2010 allowing employees at installations around the world to access social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter from a government computer.
Since that time, Hill AFB established a Facebook account at [OBSOLETE LINK] and in the past couple of months started actively communicating with followers on Twitter.
There are at least two other base organizations with official Twitter accounts. The 75th Force Support Squadron (@75FSS) promotes some of its recreational events with its account and 388th Fighter Wing (@388FW) tweets about its organization on a routine basis.
"A primary function of the public affairs office is to facilitate the timely and accurate release of information to base employees and the public," Jozens said. "Twitter is a social media tool that gives up-to-the-minute information to many people and the media all at one time.
"Our biggest use of Twitter so far was the constant changing weather, rumors and flying schedule associated with the recent open house," Jozens said. "Now the change in our Twitter handle is something we need to tweet about."