Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

Visitors to Stallings Field in Kinston, N.C. recently have found a strange building standing smack in front of the PX: a neat white outhouse with two large signs bearing the words "Rumor Factory." The outhouse and signs are the work of Truman Miller, 43, president of Kinston's Serv-Air Aviation Corp. and a man who knows his flyers. "Any airfield, from the repair shops to the soda fountain, is a rumor factory," says Miller. "They fly in and out and leave the damndest stories you ever heard."

The rumors started to bother Miller after the Pentagon announced the Air Force budget cuts last May. Since his Serv-Air Corp. is a civilian company which gives aviation cadets primary flight training, every one of the 720 employees wondered what would happen to their jobs. The rumors buzzed like hornets: the school was closing, staff cuts coming, pay slashes ahead. In desperation two months ago, Miller put up his outhouse, labeled it Rumor Factory, and asked everybody to look at two bulletin boards inside. One board was labeled "rumors"--anyone could jot down his favorite; the other was labeled "fact," and there Miller answered every question.

In two months, Miller and his staff answered 100 questions from Serv-Air's employees. Was it true that a 10% staff cut was in the works? Miller's answer: there would have to be some cuts, but nothing like 10%. Why was a certain mechanic fired? Answer: his job had been merged with another. Was it true that Christmas vacation would be abolished? Answer: no.

Last week, after ten days had gone by with no new rumors on the board, President Miller thought that his men had got the bug out of their systems. The Rumor Factory was draped in black crepe, loaded on a truck and hauled off Stallings Field. Said Miller: "The air is much better around here now. Morale is high and tension has dropped. It's wonderful."

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