[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 424 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 424

 Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the dedication of Sheppard Air 
 Force Base and the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Euro-NATO 
                   Joint Jet Pilot Training Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 20, 2021

     Mr. Cornyn (for himself and Mr. Cruz) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the dedication of Sheppard Air 
 Force Base and the 40th anniversary of the creation of the Euro-NATO 
                   Joint Jet Pilot Training Program.

Whereas, in 1940, Major General Rush B. Lincoln, Commandant of United States 
        Army Air Corps Technical Schools, surveyed the sites surrounding the 
        city of Wichita Falls, Texas for a future training school;
Whereas, 80 years ago, Sheppard Air Force Base began as Sheppard Field and 
        opened as a United States Army Air Corps training facility on 300 acres 
        of land in Wichita Falls, named after former United States Senator John 
        Morris Sheppard;
Whereas, during World War II, Sheppard Field trained more than 44,000 mechanics 
        and 445,000 basic trainees, playing a vital role in the development of 
        airpower for defeating the Axis powers;
Whereas, after serving as an Army Air Force separation center following the end 
        of World War II, Sheppard Field was inactivated in August of 1946;
Whereas, on August 1, 1948, Sheppard Field was reactivated by the Department of 
        the Air Force to enhance basic training and was dedicated as Sheppard 
        Air Force Base;
Whereas, by 1953, the base qualified more than 80,000 trained aircraft 
        maintainers and served as the home for 2 percent of all airmen;
Whereas Sheppard Air Force Base adapted and matured alongside the United States 
        Armed Forces by becoming the home of missile maintenance training in 
        1955;
Whereas, from 1959 to 1962, Sheppard Air Force Base hosted the 4245th Strategic 
        Wing and, from 1962 to 1966, the 494th Bombardment Wing, directing 
        aerial refueling and bombardment squadrons;
Whereas, in 1965, the 3630th Flying Training Wing was activated and in 1966 
        began providing pilot training to German Air Force students;
Whereas, in 1968, Sheppard Air Force Base became the epicenter for field 
        training in the aircraft maintenance training pipeline, carried on today 
        by the 982d Training Group, who deliver more than 35,000 trained 
        students each year;
Whereas the 3630th Flying Training Wing became the 80th Flying Training Wing, 
        expanding its student radius in 1973 to Iran, El Salvador, Ecuador, 
        Saudi Arabia, and other nations under the security assistance program;
Whereas, in 1973, Sheppard Air Force Base held the honor of serving as a 
        reception point for Operation Homecoming, welcoming home Vietnam 
        prisoners of war after years of captivity;
Whereas, in 1981, at Sheppard Air Force Base, the 80th Flying Training Wing 
        began the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program with 11 other 
        partner nations (Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, 
        Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Turkey, and the United Kingdom), 
        providing the partner nations with several domains of pilot training;
Whereas, on July 1, 1993, Sheppard Air Force Base became the home of all 
        aircraft maintenance training when the Sheppard Training Center became 
        the 82nd Training Wing;
Whereas, in 2016, the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program added Romania 
        as its 14th partner and was extended through 2026;
Whereas the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program remains the world's only 
        internationally manned and managed flying training program;
Whereas, since 1981, the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program has 
        delivered more than 7,800 combat pilots for its 14 partner nations in 
        support of NATO;
Whereas the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program trains 50 percent of all 
        United States Air Force fighter pilots and is the sole source of fighter 
        pilots for the partner nations of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the 
        Netherlands, and Norway;
Whereas the 80th Flying Training Wing launches 50,000 sorties per year and is 
        recognized as the busiest joint-use airfield in the Air Force;
Whereas, in fiscal year 2019, Sheppard Air Force Base created $4,600,000,000 in 
        economic impact and served as the region's largest employer, accounting 
        for 1 in 8 jobs in Wichita County;
Whereas the 82nd Training Wing, stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base, graduates 
        more than 60,000 officer and enlisted students each year;
Whereas the 82nd Training Wing is the largest technical training wing in the 
        United States Air Force, teaching 6,000 students on a daily basis across 
        the globe; and
Whereas, over the course of 80 years, Sheppard Air Force Base has delivered more 
        than 7,000,000 trained Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and 
        international partners and pilots to support military interoperability 
        around the world: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate commemorates the 80th anniversary of the 
opening of Sheppard Air Force Base and the 40th anniversary of the 
creation of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program.
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