80th FTW command team earns AETC General Jerome O'Malley Award

  • Published
  • By Debi Smith
  • 82 TRW Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  80th Flying Training Wing Commander, Colonel Lance Bunch and wife, Emily, have been awarded the 2014 Air Education and Training Command General and Mrs. Jerome F. O'Malley Award.

The O'Malley award recognizes the wing commander and spouse team whose contributions to the nation, the Air Force, and the local community best exemplify the highest ideals and positive leadership of a military couple in a key Air Force position.

Colonel and Mrs. Bunch were recognized for the successful relationships within the unique Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program mission and the unmatched span of influence this provides between personnel, spouses and higher headquarters. 

The ENJJPT program is the world's only internationally manned and managed flying training program designed to produce combat pilots for the 13-member NATO alliance. The mission includes 200 aircraft, graduates more than 200 coalition pilots each year, and represents more than 66,000 flight hours annually. Sheppard is the second busiest joint-use airfield in the Air Force, outside of a combat zone. 

Their leadership led to the 80th Flying Training Wing receiving a "Highly Effective" rating overall and an "Outstanding" Strategic Alignment rating during the wing's first major command Unit Effectiveness Inspection.

There are more than 1,000 personnel assigned to the 80th FTW, with 178 international families, and the Bunch family puts people first.

As each ENJJPT class begins every six weeks, they hold student pilot dinners in their home as an initial outreach to build Air Force families across the international spectrum. 

In 2014, they hosted more than 337 distinguished visitor events, showcasing the ENJJPT spirit of trust and cooperation to 24 command general officers, senators, congressmen, and representatives from the Brazilian, Australian, Turkish and Romanian Air Forces.

Their daily efforts in providing a dynamic mission environment and sharing the cultural crossover between the 13-NATO partner members included activities with Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls Independent School District, and area civic leaders. 

Heavily involved in the community, the entire family rides in the Wichita Falls Hotter 'n Hell 100 international bicycle race. Volunteering at River Bend Nature Center, speaking at local civic events, engaging in getting 2,000 care packages out during the holidays and coordinating Enlisted Spouse Club scholarships for area students were just part of their investment in Wichita Falls.

Recognizing today's potential for future possibilities in expanding the ENJJPT program, they harnessed the power of social media by inviting a video production team from the Discovery Channel to produce a "Mighty Planes" documentary featuring the T-38 aircraft.  Additionally, a base public affairs production chronicled Class 14-07's 55-week training program as part of the seven-part video series, "Experience ENJJPT" (www.experienceenjjpt.com ), with viewers in 87 countries. The creation of an 80th Flying Training Wing Facebook page has assured a global audience for ENJJPT activities and personnel achievements.  

Col. and Mrs. Bunch now prepare for a new assignment and a new community with Air Force Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.