Sheppard prepares for Holiday Exodus

  • Published
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Sheppard Air Force Base will begin a massive movement of Airmen in the early morning hours Dec. 22 and deploy them around the country during the 82nd Training Wing's annual Holiday Exodus.

Senior Master Sgt. Robert Smith, the superintendent of military training for the wing, said the two-week sabbatical from Sheppard give technical training students and training support personnel a chance to get away, spend time with family and return ready to get back to work.

But it's no easy task getting about 5,000 students from Sheppard to their holiday destinations.

"Together with many key planners, the military training operations office devises an annual plan to systematically ensure more than 5,000 Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers and Marines have sound travel plans to traverse the world to spend the holidays with their family and loved ones," he said, "while still maintaining operations at our home base for those who choose not to leave."

Students will begin outprocessing for Exodus starting at 11 p.m. Dec. 21 and receive briefings and well wishes from 82nd TRW personnel. A charter bus service will transport students to Dallas-Fort Worth International and Love Field airports in the DFW area as well as Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City.

Not every student leaves for the holidays, Sergeant Smith said, so there is the additional responsibility of ensuring they are cared for over the break.

"We have to consolidate the remaining students into fewer dormitories, make sure we have operations and support services available, create a work schedule for supervision and much more," he said.

The sergeant said preparing for Exodus is always challenging because there are several agencies working together to make it happen, and getting about 5,000 people moved requires precise orchestration and thought.

"I'm a believer that no one person has all of the answers," he said. "Only through tapping into the brilliant minds of many people will anyone produce the best product."

All students leaving during the Holiday Exodus must be back at Sheppard by 10 p.m. Jan. 3 to begin training Jan. 4.