FMWR Outlook Magazine a popular source for information

'Mr. Pae, Yun Su, an Illustrator, FMWR Outlook magazine, concentrates closely as he prepares the next issue of the monthly magazine.'

DAEGU GARRISON — For the USAG Daegu and Area IV community, information is an important part of every aspect of day-to-day life. That’s why the FMWR Outlook Magazine is so important to the Soldiers, family members, Department of Defense (DoD) civilians and retirees who claim the Daegu area as their home away from home. Its small size (roughly 14.8 x 21) makes it easier to pocket and carry the publication without having to fold it. Filled with information about upcoming events, ongoing programs, and a host of useful classes and services, the monthly product is a staple of the Garrison.

Often referred to as “Outlook,” the magazine first made its debut around 2001. Since then, it has, like most publications, undergone a facelift that speaks more to the changing times and the preference for more streamlined communication. Once a full-sized magazine, the current smaller and more user-friendly publication is without argument, one of the most popular sources of information in the area. Very different from a decade or so ago, the magazine has evolved over time to become more attractive, more accessible, and more efficient for its readers.

According to Laurel Baek, Chief of Marketing for Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, reducing the size of the magazine was an effort to bring a better product to its customers. She said, “Reducing the size of the magazine not only allowed room for more information, but it improved mobility.” Baek pointed out that while the previous version of Outlook had 24 pages, the new and improved version of the popular publication boasts a total of 78-- and a distribution of 3500 hard copies. Something to keep in mind, however, is that number undoubtedly pales in comparison to the many readers who can access the FMWR Outlook online.

The team behind all of the hard work that goes into putting the Outlook together is small, but very effective. In addition to Baek, two illustrators, Mr. Pae, Yum Su, and Mr. Park, Won Kyu are untiring in their efforts to provide the community with both a helpful and useful information product. Baek explained that the bulk of the Outlook production is completed by Mr. Pae. She proudly added that the success of the product is all about the efforts put forth by the team.

To ensure that the Outlook continues to satisfy the needs and the interests of its readers, a lot of time and energy goes into collecting the kind of information they seek. According to Baek, those customers are mainly internal. She stated,"Our customers are MWR employees, managers and division chiefs who run the different programs in the Garrison. The Outlook team gets the material for the publication from these various sources.They plan their activities and events for the coming month, then send the raw information to us for formatting. Other contributors include AAFES, advertisers or official organizations requesting courtesy ads. There are different kinds of information. Some programs are ongoing and occur monthly, some change with the seasons (for example, ski equipment rentals), and others occur on specific dates. Even the ongoing programs have to be tweaked from time to time to ensure they’re always fresh and aligned with customer needs. We have a wave of new information every month.”

Providing the best possible service to customers requires understanding and recognizing who they are. For Baek, who is very familiar with the Area IV landscape, this task comes easy. "For FMWR, Soldiers are a priority because none of our facilities would exist if they weren’t here. The Outlook is the only on-post publication that provides community information of this type and quantity in a single book. We serve everyone in the community: Family members, contractors, retirees, civilians, and more. The goal of FMWR is to keep the community informed on the types of support and services MWR provides. Not just advertising, but convincing people to take advantage of programs and benefits that belong to community members already," commented the FMWR marketing chief.

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