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The Joint Hometown News Service is directorate of the Defense Media Activity, providing Hometown News Program support to the Department of Defense and military services. Currently headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, assigned to Defense Media Activity - San Antonio, the small staff of 39 military and civilian personnel produce a variety of print and electronic news products highlighting the accomplishments, and worldwide activities of individual members of the Armed Forces. Last year over 750,000 individual news releases were distributed to the 14,000 newspapers, television and radio stations subscribing to Hometown's free service. To subscribe to our free service visit our marketing page (media outlets only please).

The Hometown News program has been in existence for over 40 years, with the Army running its program in Kansas City, MO., and the Air Force running its program from Tinker Air Force Base, OK. In 1978, after a study by the Defense Audit Service, the decision was made to consolidate the two operations in San Antonio, Texas. In 1979 the Air Force operation moved there, followed by the Army's operation in 1980. The consolidation resulted in a savings of 35 personnel, with a work force of 63 performing the mission previously done by 98 people. Since then automation and other efficiencies have resulted in downsizing the organization to its current strength of 40 people. In October, 2008, the organization's name changed from the Army & Air Force Hometown News Service to the Joint Hometown News Service, and it became part of the Defense Media Activity, a new organization created by the 2005 Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission Report.