Leaders Dave Hartman, Cara Sauceda, John Mayfield, Noros Martin, and Josh Phillips all got the meeting started off in true Rotary fashion with prayer, song, sunshine, and the brag bucket. Rotarian Donny Lee introduced guest, Matti Davis, the WFISD liaison to SAFB.
It was announced that a plate will be added at Rotary Park to honor long-term Rotarian and friend to all, Jim Hughes.
Glenn Barham, President and CEO of the Sheppard Military Affairs Committee (SMAC), shared an insightful program, outlaying the vital role Sheppard Air Force Base plays in our community. He explained that SMAC was founded in 2006 by local leaders including Kay Yeager, Danny Cremeens, and others. The purpose was to protect the future of SAFB, and politically advocate for SAFB, something that active duty personnel cannot do.
SMAC has a board of directors that usually is between 16-18 members.
Sheppard trains over 60,000 people a year, including engineers, HVAC, and aircrew chiefs.
Glenn shared impressive facts about Sheppard’s impact on the community. Some of these include:
- SAFB accounts for 34.4% of the local economy,
- Direct economic output is $1.41B with 9,117 jobs with an annual salary of $1.126B.
- Indirect economic output is $880.90M with 11,052 jobs and annual salaries of $2.036B.
- Sales to local businesses on which sales taxes were collected- $344M
- Taxable value of residential property paid by military member - $866.1M
- Sales taxes paid to the city - $6.882M
- Property taxes paid to the city - $6.756M
- Franchise taxes, utilities, State & Fed School Funding - $51.63M
- Total revenues generated by SAFB and its members - $85.23M
- 94% of active duty military live off base.
- 75% of active duty trainees/cadets live off base.
- 100% of civilians working at SAFB live off base.
- 950 US Active duty military members are students in area ISD’s.
Glenn went on to explain how SMAC is funded. It operates with an annual budget of $220k and has 2 staff members. He further reminded all that SAFB is home to the Euro Nato Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT), which is the world’s only multi-nationally manned and managed flying training program chartered to produce combat pilots for NATO. It is unique in the world and we are blessed to have it in our community.