Altus Air Force Base News

 

Altus Chamber's MAC, presents AETC Community Support Award to Wichita Falls, Texas and surrounding communities.

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Brian M. Boisvert
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
San Antonio, Texas --  Members of the Altus, Okla. Chamber of Commerce's Military Affairs Committee and Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., commander Air Education and Training Command, presented the AETC Community Support Award (Altus Trophy) at the AETC Symposium Jan. 12, 2012 in San Antonio to Wichita Falls, Burkburnett, Electra and Iowa Park, Texas.

Following the three years in development, the Altus Chamber's MAC presented the first Altus Trophy last year to Columbus AFB and this year the communities that support Sheppard AFB, Texas were honored for the outstanding support they offer the military in their community.

According to the Altus Chamber, the award is presented annually by the AETC commander and the Altus MAC, to a civilian community for outstanding support to a nearby AETC base or unit in the spirit of cooperation for which the city of Altus is well known.

Of the several nomination packages received at the chamber, the communities that provide support to Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls stood out above the others for their high involvement with the base and AETC.

"There are a lot of events that happen in all of our communities that wouldn't happen without the support of the men and women at Sheppard," said Kay Yeager, chairman of the Sheppard Military Affairs Committee. "The support goes both ways and the Altus Trophy will travel to the communities involved with supporting Sheppard."

Local highlighted relations include the Troops First initiative, where members of the Wichita Falls community give their place in lines at businesses to service members in uniform, the Pancake Festival and the Hotter 'N Hell Hundred bike race.

"The Altus trophy is a large cup on a base of oak and Oklahoma red granite, indicating the rock-solid support the community gives the base," said Dr. Joe Leverett, Chairman of the Altus Chamber of Commerce MAC.

"We will have the trophy for a year and because it's not just Wichita Falls that won the award, we are going to display it in all the communities that support the Military Affairs Committee and Sheppard," Yeager said. "We'll probably take it around and give as many people a chance to see it as we can. We're all very excited about it, and obviously it couldn't happen without the men and women at Sheppard Air Force Base."

For more information about the Altus Trophy or the Altus Military Affairs Committee, contact the Altus Chamber of Commerce at (580) 482-0210.

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