Sheppard's community receives Altus Trophy

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lieutenant Sara Harper
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  At the 2012 Air Education and Training Command Symposium, members from the Altus Military Affairs Committee and Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., AETC commander, awarded the Altus Trophy to Wichita Falls, Burkburnett, Electra and Iowa Park, Texas, Jan. 12.

According to the Altus Chamber, the Altus Trophy, or AETC Community Support Award, is presented annually to a civilian community for outstanding support to a nearby AETC base or unit in the spirit of cooperation.

Wichita Falls Mayor Glenn Barham accepted the trophy on behalf of the city.

"Winning the trophy is a great honor not only for Sheppard Air Force Base and Wichita Falls but for our citizens in our community as well," said Barham. "It reinforces what our community does to support Sheppard Air Force Base and the mission that they support."

Brig. Gen. Darryl Burke, 82nd Training Wing commander, described how the support Sheppard receives from the community is second to none.

"For 70 years this community has supported the base and has been an integral part of what we do every day," Burke said. "The partnership that we have is unlike any other base in the Air Force. In my 30 years I have never seen this type of support, and I think the recognition that they received today is maybe in some cases long overdue."

Kay Yeager, chairman of the Sheppard MAC, told reporters that the trophy will be on the road this year, displaying it in all the communities that support the Sheppard MAC and the base.

The community partners with the base on numerous events throughout the year, including the Hotter'N'Hell bike race, Operation Thanksgiving, parades and groundbreakings just to name a few.