Air Force Times Air Force Times is a weekly newspaper serving active , reserve and retired United States Air Force and Air National Guard personnel and their families , providing news , information and analysis as well as community and lifestyle features , educational supplements , and resource guides . " Air Force Times " is published by Gannett Government Media , part of Gannett . Gannett Government Media , formerly known as the Army Times Publishing Company , was purchased by Gannett in 1997 from the Times Journal Company . Military Times newspapers are the most purchased publications in Exchange shops and defense commissaries , beating such national bestsellers as " People " and " Time " . History . " Air Force Times " traces its roots back to the 1940s , when " Army Times " , founded by Mel Ryder , had reporters covering the U . S . Army Air Corps and U . S . Army Air Forces . With the creation of the U . S . Air Force in 1947 came the birth of Air Force Times as a separate newspaper . Mr . Ryder began his newspaper career on the staff of Stars and Stripes selling and delivering papers to the troops on the front lines during WWI . In 1921 he joined Willard Kiplinger in forming the newsletter service , the Kiplinger Agency . He sold his interest in the agency in 1933 and began publishing " Happy Days " , a paper written for members of the Civilian Conservation Corps . His first order was for 400 copies and the first advertiser was GEICO . Next , Ryder started the publication of " Army Times " . The first issue was published in 1940 and the company was incorporated the same year . Subscriptions and readership . Subscribers Subscribers total 43 , 800 per week and account for nearly 80 percent of all " Air Force Times " readers . Dozens of copies are hand - delivered to the offices of senior leaders inside the Pentagon , including the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Air Force . Also among our subscribers are various members of Congress and their staffers , including liaisons to appropriations , armed services and veterans affairs committees for the Senate and the House . Beyond Capitol Hill , subscribers are found in the State Department , National Reconnaissance Office , White House Communications Agency , Defense Intelligence Agency , Congressional Budget Office , Government Accountability Office and more . According to Military Times Subscriber Network Study , 2007 , Mediamark Research & Intelligence , January 2008 : Newsstands Newsstand buyers total 11 , 600 worldwide , each week . " Air Force Times " is found on approximately 400 newsstands worldwide . According to Military Times Subscriber Network Study , 2007 , Mediamark Research & Intelligence , January 2008 : Military Times Service Member of the Year . Each year Military Times honors an " Everyday Hero " . Someone with whom you are proud to serve . Someone whose dedication , professionalism and concern for fellow service members and community set a standard for all of us . There is a Marine of the year , Soldier of the year , Sailor of the year , Airman of the year and Coast Guardsman of the year . Each service member is nominated by their peers for Military Times selection . The winners are honored at a formal ceremony on Capitol Hill , in Washington , D . C .