19th Air Force leaders visit Sheppard

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kyle E. Gese
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  

Commander of the 19th Air Force, his wife and the 19th AF Command Chief from Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, visited Sheppard Air Force Base for a familiarization tour of the 80th Flying Training Wing, Feb. 10-12, 2016.

 

Maj. Gen. James Hecker graduated from the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program at Sheppard in 1990 as part of Class 91-01. This is Hecker and Chief Master Sgt. Robert Boyer’s first visit to Sheppard while serving in their new positions as commander and command chief after assuming command of the 19th Air Force in June of 2015.

 

The 19th Air Force annually trains more than 30,000 U.S. and allied entry-level undergraduate flying training to advanced combat crew training students each year. 

 

While visiting, Hecker’s wife, Terrie, toured various base facilities that support the ENJJPT Program personnel and their families. She also met with downtown country sponsors and the senior national representatives of the 13 NATO-partner nations that support the ENJJPT program.

 

"You are doing an incredible job here at the 80th,” said Hecker. “This ENJJPT Program sets you up for future success and equally important is the partnerships we gain. I flew in class 91-01 and we didn't know a year later, we'd go to war with all these nations for the next 25 years.”

 

ENJJPT is hosted by the 80th FTW and has delivered more than 7,100 pilots since the program began 35 years ago, in 1981. ENJJPT pilots flew 52,000 sorties with 61,000 flight hours last year, making it the second busiest joint-use airfield in the Air Force, outside of a combat zone.

 

The 13 NATO countries participating in the program include Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and the U.S.

 

Graduates from ENJJPT have supported every major military operation since the Program's inception. These include Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn and Odyssey Dawn, and Inherent Resolve.

 

“The 80th does a great job of balancing the flying mission with international partnerships,” Hecker said. “The international spouses meeting and country sponsors provide an amazing inclusion and team support for the families of the European pilots stationed here. We are impressed with the uniqueness of what you do here."

 

Hecker finished his tour of the 80th FTW by officiating the retirement of Lt. Col. David Toogood, the ENJJPT Senior National Representative for the United States. Toogood will remain in the Wichita Falls area, serving as President and CEO of Work Services Corporation.