Sheppard Wows Leadership Wichita Falls

  • Published
  • By Debi Smith
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Leaders watch the horizon, seek out every opportunity and glean the most from each experience.

For the 42 attendees of the Leadership Wichita Falls (LWF) Class of 2012, getting a glimpse of the mission and economic impact of Sheppard Air Force Base Jan. 24 was not to be missed.

As part of the 13-week long program to expose the best and brightest of Wichita Falls future community leaders to community, government, city and non-profit organizations, Sheppard is a key stop according to Ms. Marla Malone, LWF Board of Directors member.

"The impact that Sheppard has on the community is huge," she said. "The more these groups know and see about the base, the more they are amazed. People in the community have no idea of the magnitude of what goes on out here."

This year, three attendees were selected from Sheppard to become LWF alumni: Maj. Timothy Lockhart, Mr Efrain Carrion and Master Sgt. Jennifer Holton.

Carrion, a civilian instructional systems specialist with the 365th Training Squadron, saw everything with new eyes.

"After serving 20 years, this is the first time I've gotten to see or experience or even know about many of these missions, " he said. "It's pretty cool."

Lockhart, 366th Training Squadron director of operations, said "he was looking forward to joining as an opportunity to network with agencies and organizations across the community."


Recently announced as Sheppard's Senior NCO of the Year, Master Sgt. Jennifer Holton, 82nd Force Support Superintendent of the Military Personnel Section, embraced the chance to be the third military candidate in the class.

"As Senior NCOs, everyone looks to us to have the right answers," she said. "It's hard to know if you are doing the right thing and if this class or any other can help me improve to better lead my people on base or in the community. I want to do my best to serve. This civilian class teaches leadership principles that I haven't seen in military academies. I can bring them back and share."

Ralf Taylor, a LWF 2010 class graduate who works in the 82nd Training Wing International Military Students Office, volunteered to escort the tour to various base agencies.

"I so enjoyed being part of Leadership Wichita Falls, the next natural step was to join the Board of Directors," he said. "My father is a LWF 1996 class alumni. Anything I can do to share the military story, I'm ready."

After a windshield tour of the base, LWF Class 2012 experienced lunch at the Tumbleweed dining facility, toured 361st Training Squadron Propulsions and were hosted to a complete tour of the 80th Flying Training Wing Airfield Operations Complex.

The tour stop at Aerospace Physiology gave Airman 1st Class Jasmine Mudd-Smith, Aerospace Physiology technician, the chance to brief the group on the barany chair. The chair is used in student pilot training to demonstrate the effect of sensory perception and spatial disorientation. This method trains pilots to rely on flight instruments rather than their own visual or equilibrium senses.

Spinning chairs and crossed eyes with turning thumbs, the mock ejection seat and the altitude chamber with a 30,000 feet capability drew palpable excitement from a group already shaking their heads in wonder at the brief glimpse into all that Sheppard brings to the Air Force mission.