Stories from a Circulation Manager for The Pacific Stars & Stripes
“I spent 1977-1980 at Pacific Stars & Stripes in Tokyo, where I worked as Circulation Manager, one of three Product Line Managers. I enjoyed these three years at PS&S and when I visit Japan, I always go back to Hardy Barracks, where PS&S was located..
As Circulation Manager, I was always looking for a way to sell more newspapers.
I thought there might be people who wouldn’t care if the paper was a day or two old, if they could get it cheaply. To do this, we had to apply to the Japanese Post Office for a 3rd Class Mailing Permit. This involved the Logistics Dept. and eventually, what we had to do was to put Japanese writing (Kanji) on the edge of the newspaper front page to prove we now had the permit.
To seek out new subscribers, I had to find available mailing list. One came from the Reve. Kenny Joseph, who had a list of all the various missionaries in Japan – over a thousand as I recall.
During a Quarterly Sales Meeting with all Project Line Managers, I explained that there were some 1400 missionary positions in Japan, of which some 900 were filled. Many eyes we rolling regarding my terminology. At the next Quarterly Sales Meeting, CAPT Heber Darton, our commander, introduced me by saying, “And now Jon Bird will tell us all about missionary positions in Japan.” “
“The Grass is Always Greener”
Pacific Stars & Stripes had contractors who provided labor and logistics for the newspaper distribution, magazine and book sales in the PS&S stores. The contractor for Japan (& Okinawa) was Billy Reeves. At one time, his Tokyo, Japan office was at Tachikawa AFB, a place that was literally right next door to Yokota AFB and was scheduled to close, because it was transferring back to the Japanese.
I had moved into a 1-story rental home with a yard, which was very nice, but it had no grass. I asked Billy Reeves during a visit if I could take some of his sod with me in my Toyota station wagon. He agreed and I worked hard to get the sod and then later install it at my rental home.
Just before Billy Reeves’ office had to move, due to the closure of the air base, the base commander came by for a visit and when looking at the office yard, noticed a big, big area of sod was missing. He asked Billy who took the sod, and Billy answered, “I don’t know. It must’ve been someone during the night.”
And that’s how I got “American sod” for my Japanese rental home.”