Lon Blair
AFN Wiesbaden Operations Director
Lon Blair has done just about all that there is to do in broadcasting since first being assigned to AFN as an Army Specialist Four in February of 1988. Lon’s first job with the network was as the morning DJ for AFN Frankfurt, which in those days broadcast on AM 873. (The FM 98.7 frequency was used to broadcast “Beautiful Music” in those days, if you can believe that.) By the end of the year, Lon had made the switch to TV where he spent two years as the host and producer of the popular AFN travel show “Passport.” Lon completed his Army obligation in May of 1990 and was fortunate enough to get a job working as a radio and TV spot producer for USAREUR MWR In Schwetzingen, Germany. Lon begged and pleaded with AFN management to hire him back as a civilian and in January of 1992 he finally wore them down. Lon was hired back as a radio and TV news producer and was quickly sent into exile at AFN Nuernburg, where he served as news director. A short stint at AFN Wuerzburg followed before Lon finally got what he really wanted: an assignment to AFN News at the Network’s headquarters in Frankfurt in May of 1993. Lon anchored the Network’s radio and TV newscasts all through the 90’s while also spending a considerable amount of time working as a producer and reporter. Lot’s of travel to exotic places and shoulder-rubbing with the famous and nearly-famous ensued. In August of 1999, Lon took the raise, the corner office and the fake potted plants and moved to AFN Frankfurt where he has since served as the affiliate’s operations director. (Another great job. I don’t even have to water the plants!) Lon was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on November 29th 1961. He’s a 1980 graduate of McKeesport H.S. in McKeesport, PA. Don’t ask how he did it because his memories are blurry, but in 1984 he somehow graduated from Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a BS in Communications. He joined the Army in 1985 as a 71Q Print Journalist, later cross training as a 71R Broadcast Journalist. He was an extra duty darling for First Sergeants at Fort Knox and Fort Ben Harrison before showing up at AFN. Lon has won a whole wheelbarrow full of journalism awards, some of which are actually important. On weekends, Lon indulges himself in his twin loves of taxidermy and trading Star Wars action figures on eBay. Lon is married to the beautiful and charming former Martina Koerber from the Odenwald region of Germany.