Generous gift allows main pool to remain open

  • Published
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Thanks to a generous gift to the Air Force from a local business, the Sheppard main pool will remain open for the remainder of the summer.

Second Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Leonard A. Patrick approved the gift, offered by a Wichita Falls business, on June 20.

For Brig. Gen. Scott A. Kindsvater, the offer was the latest example of the many ways the local community supports the base and the mission.

"This is an incredibly generous offer," Kindsvater said. "It shows how much the people of this community respect and support our military families. I've served in a lot of places with great community support over the years," said Kindsvater, "but this place is special. This gift is the perfect example of why the North Texas area is a great military community."

After the offer was made June 13, a team of experts from contracting, civil engineering, force support and the legal office went into high gear to make sure the gift went through the right channels and was fully vetted.

"It might sound like an easy thing to accept a gift, but the fact is you have to cross lots of T's and dot lots of I's to do it by the book, and the team did an outstanding job getting this done in essentially four days and I'm proud of them." Kindsvater said.

Obviously, though, it was the gift that made it possible to keep the pool open.

"Nothing boosts the morale of our fighting men and women more than knowing their fellow-citizens support them and appreciate them," Kindsvater said. "On behalf of all the Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Coastguardsmen, international students and their families at Sheppard, I offer my thanks for this incredible gift and all it represents."

For more information on the main pool, including hours and contact information, go to www.82fss.com.

Editor's Note: While readers are obviously interested in who, specifically, made the gift offer, Air Force Instructions prohibit the base from publicizing the name of the person and/or organization which did so.