35th Annual Farm City Week tours bring Altus AFB and community together

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Klynne Pearl Serrano
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The City of Altus hosted the 35th Annual Farm City Week with the theme "Farming, Flying and Community: the Pillars of Southwest Oklahoma" Nov. 5-9.

Farm City Week events focused on the relationship between the local farming business and the base.

Local farmers invited members of Altus AFB to see their work first-hand through farm tours, Nov. 7.

During the tour, Altus AFB members had the opportunity to drive tractors at the Jackson County Expo Center, see the Gavilon grain elevator, Humphrey's Coop Cotton Gin, the Altus Lugert Irrigation District, and the Altus Peanut Warehouse.

"It was great to see what the local farmers go through every year to produce crops that are distributed not only to other states, but also to other countries around the world," said Senior Airman Tyler Clark, 97th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels technician.

"Learning about cotton and it's demand made me realize how important the farmers' jobs are in our community."

Senator Mike Schulz, R-Oklahoma and local farmer, served as a tour guide and explained the significance of Farm City Week.

"It is a great opportunity for us, farmers to tell our story and show our friends on the base what we do," Schulz said. "People come to the base from all over the country and the world, so we get to show off what we do not just to people from here, but from all over - and that's unique."

The following day, community members were invited to fly with the 54th Air Refueling Squadron on a KC-135 Stratotanker and the 58th Airlift Squadron on a C-17 Globemaster III.

"Going on the incentive flight was a great way to get a taste of what the Air Force culture is like," said Jessica Proffitt, City of Altus Chamber of Commerce information specialist.
Schulz expressed his gratitude for the help the base provided to make Farm City Week happen.

"I want to say a big thank you to the men and women who serve our country and protect and defend our freedom," Schulz said.