[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 164 (Wednesday, September 22, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S6620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                80TH ANNIVERSARY OF VANCE AIR FORCE BASE

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, on Friday, September 17, 2021, Vance Air 
Force Base celebrated its 80th anniversary. On this day, we honored the 
community, leadership, cadre of instructors, and over 35,000 pilots 
Vance has trained since 1941. Vance AFB is the top pilot-producing base 
for 2 years running and enables our Nation to provide and defend global 
power projection.
  Vance Air Force Base's history dates back to 1941, originally founded 
as Air Corps Basic Flying School in Enid, OK. After World War II, the 
base reopened as a permanent facility on August 26, 1948, and became 
Vance AFB on July 9, 1949. The base is named in honor of Lt Col Leon 
Robert Vance, Jr., a native of Enid, who posthumously received the 
Medal of Honor for gallantry in action over France on June 5, 1944.
  For 80 years, Vance has served as the model for empowering the future 
of the U.S. Air Force through innovation and focuses on supporting 
flight operations everyday. The 71st Flying Training Wing operates over 
200 aircraft, conducting more than 50,000 sorties annually, and logging 
more than 74,000 flight hours in the T-1A Jayhawk, T-6A Texan II, and 
T-38C Talon. Soon, Vance will add the T-7 Red Hawk to its training 
aircraft fleet. The base graduates 370 exceptional U.S. Air Force and 
allied student pilots from pilot training each year.
  Vance is lucky because it benefits from outstanding community support 
and partnerships. The base supports more than 1,400 civilian employees 
and 1,400 military members and their families in the local area. Vance 
has a remarkable $381.2 million impact on the local community. On 
September 17, thousands of friends and families who make the Vance 
mission a success gathered to celebrate the history and future of the 
base.
  Vance strives to accomplish its mission every day to deliver the 
world's best pilots, develop resilient airmen and families, deploy 
combat ready warriors, and demonstrate Vance culture. I am proud that 
Vance will continue to train the finest airmen for the finest Air Force 
in the world. On behalf of my colleagues and the entire U.S. Senate, I 
want to congratulate the Vance AFB community on 80 years of excellence 
in service to our Nation. ``Vance Proud!''

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