Sheppard Air Force Base (IATA: SPS, ICAO: KSPS, FAA LID: SPS) is a United States Air Force base located five miles (8 km) north of the central business district of Wichita Falls, in Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the largest training base and most diversified in Air Education and Training Command. The base is named in honor of Texas Senator John Morris Sheppard, a supporter of military preparations before World War II.
The host unit at Sheppard is the 82d Training Wing (82 TRW), which provides specialized technical training, medical, and field training for officers, Airmen, and civilians of all branches of the military, other DoD agencies, and foreign nationals.
The 80th Flying Training Wing (80 FTW), also at Sheppard, conducts the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) program, the world's only multi-nationally manned and managed flying training program chartered to produce combat pilots for both USAF and NATO.
As of June 2012, Brigadier General Michael A. Fantini is the commander of the 82d Training Wing, and he concurrently serves as the installation commander of Sheppard AFB. Colonel Kevin B. Schneider is the commander of the 80th Flying Training Wing.
Sheppard AFB shares one runway with Wichita Falls Municipal Airport under a joint civil-military arrangement.
Read more about Sheppard Air Force Base: History
Famous quotes containing the words air, force and/or base:
“... in this air of withering sweetness ...”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“So doth, so is Religion; and this blind-
ness too much light breeds; but unmoved thou
Of force must one, and forc’d but one allow;
And the right; ask thy father which is she,
let him ask his; though truth and falsehood be
Near twins, yet truth a little elder is;”
—John Donne (1572–1631)
“It is a base thing for a man among the people not to obey those in command. Never in a state can the laws be well administered when fear does not stand firm.”
—Sophocles (497–406/5 B.C.)