are mailed, the forms are maintained for 90 days in an alibi file and then destroyed. On  occasion,  a  few  release  forms  do  not  get processed   and   are   returned   to   the   activities   that submitted them. Along with the returned release forms is a short explanation listing the reason(s) they were not accepted. There are several reasons a particular release form may not be processed. It could be that there are no media in a particular community or area that desires the stories. The release form might be received without the required   signatures,   or   there   might   not   be   enough information   with   the   release   form   to   develop   a meaningful release. You can reduce the number of nonreleased forms by following all of the directions on the back of the NAVSO 5724/1. Check all blocks on the front of the release form for  completeness,  accuracy  and  legibility  before  the release form is mailed to the FHTNC. Log Book/Index File You should maintain a 90-day logbook or index file of each release form mailed to the FHTNC. The record should include the following information: l   Name   and   social   security   number   of   the individual l  News  event l  Date  mailed By tracking your release forms in this manner, you can work with the Center in purging release forms that belong  to  an  injured  or  deceased  crew  member.  It  is embarrassing  when  a  release  is  made  on  an  individual’s participation  in  an  exercise  when  he  was  discharged months earlier. More important, the release of a story about   an   individual   who   “recently   visited   Sasebo, Japan,” when in fact he was hospitalized or deceased, will  cause  confusion  and  additional  grief  to  family members. The FHTNC is an addressee on all death or serious injury  messages.  Upon  receiving  a  casualty  message, the   Center   immediately   inputs   the   social   security number of the casualty into the computer system. The computer indicates whether a news release is currently being  processed  or  has  been  mailed  out  on  that individual, as well as the names of the hometown media that  received  it.  If  the  release  has  left  the  Center,  the appropriate  media  outlets  are  called  immediately  and requested not to run the story. Command Releasing Authority Each  submission  to  the  FHTNC  must  be  authorized for release and verified for accuracy by the submitting command.  The  command’s  “releasing  authority”  may be whoever the commander has designated to conduct the  fleet  home  town  news  program  within  his  unit (usually the PAO, but it can be a JO). The command releasing authority prints and signs his name in block two of the release form and indicates his duty telephone number. Social Security Number Make  sure  the  service  member  understands  that  the social security number listed in block 12 will not appear on the actual news release. It is required solely to track casualties. PHOTOGRAPHS Good  photographs  enhance  the  potential  use  of home  town  news  releases.  Either  formal  or  informal portraits  are  useful  hometown  news  photographs.  These photographs range from the basic head and shoulders picture  (mug  shot)  to  a  shot  of  the  individual  in  a working environment. The individual’s face should be clearly  identifiable  in  the  photograph. The  FHTNC  prefers  at  least  five  black-and-white wallet-sized  prints  for  each  submission.  The  wallet- sized  prints  will  fit  easily  in  standard  business-sized envelopes. However, if you must mail larger prints, the FHTNC will accommodate you. Do not send negatives to the FHTNC, as it does not have the capability to work with them. Most  of  the  print  media  editors  on-line  at  the FHTNC  enthusiastically  request  more  photographs.  The Center sends out all photographs it receives, informal or   formal,   as   long   as   amplifying   information (identification of people, description of the event taking place, etc.) is included on the back of each photograph. Type this information on a separate piece of paper or on a label and attach it to the photograph. Your doing this prevents “bleed-through,” a common occurrence when you write on the back of a photograph with a ball-point pen. Put the photograph in an envelope and attach it to the  completed  NAVSO  5724/1. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL If  you  send  nine  or  fewer  release  forms  to  the FHTNC at one time, the command releasing authority 17-7