General Gould visits Sheppard

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tonnette Thompson
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  All over the Air Force, generals visit the bases under their command. They may spend those days in back-to-back meetings and briefings, and being driven around base grounds they've trod before.

Not many get the option to wrap up such a visit by hopping on a bicycle and pushing themselves 100 miles in a city-wide marathon.

But that's just the opportunity that Maj. Gen. Michael Gould, 2nd Air Force commander, found during his visit to Sheppard, Aug. 22-26, coincided with the Aug. 25 Hotter'N Hell Hundred in Wichita Falls.

The visit was part of the General Gould's yearly assessment of all the Air Education and Training Command bases under his watch: their status, improvements and needs.

One highlight of the tour was the 82nd TRW Technical Training Quarterly Awards luncheon Aug. 24, where General Gould himself presented both the awards and a 2nd AF coin to each of the winners.

"I don't think I've ever seen bigger smiles on the faces of our winners," General Devereaux said.

Coins were also handed out along the tour to individuals who'd proven themselves exceptional in the course of their duties. Among them were Staff Sgt. Robert Clifford, 82nd Communications Squadron; Tech. Sgt. Jason Bedford, 360th TRS; Tech. Sgt. Kris Wooster, 382nd TRS; and Tech. Sgt. Kelly Lemke, 365th TRS.

"I'm going to make sure you're close by with that defibrillator for the wing run," General Gould joked with Sergeant Lemke, who received his coin for using the AED to save the life of an Airman in February.

Other highlights included taking a phlebotomy quiz with Airmen-in-Training from the 882nd Training Group, which involved clicking remote controls to input their answers. The general also created his own tooth filling, with assistance from a dental instructor, and even affixed the filling into the mouth of a mannequin "patient."

The general received a foot gait exam from exercise physiologist John Martin, fired the cannon that sounded the beginning of Wichita Falls's annual Hotter'N Hell Hundred bike marathon and had his name run through Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications System for a criminal background check - breathing an exaggerated sigh of relief when it came up clean.

While touring the base, General Gould attended a teleconference with members of the 982nd Training Group, received a briefing on the Adenovirus status from the Student Health Clinic and inspected floor plans for the new homes GMH Military Housing plans to erect. He also learned more about the 82nd TRG's Civilian Mentoring Program and saw the 361st Training Squadron's virtually interactive F-15 cockpit simulator.

At the commander's call Aug. 24, General Gould spoke of the areas of Sheppard that needed attention. Most notable was dormitory 596, currently inhabited by Airmen-in-Training from the 882nd TRG. He expressed a desire to bring the Airmen's standard of living up to the same level as those who dwell in the state-of-the-art dormitories that have been built at Sheppard over the past decade.

He also lavished praise, however, on all the improvements Sheppard has made over the years, especially since his first visit in 1978.

"Team Sheppard has come a long way in improving the base since those days," General Gould said. "I applaud your efforts in doing all you can to make Sheppard look good and to offer the best training these Airmen can possibly have."