News

Aug. 20, 2021
Baker farm becomes Enid Army Air Field during World War II

Thanks to the Baker family, Vance Air Force Base has been training the world’s best pilots for nearly 80 years. Ernest Baker sold his family farm on the south side of Enid, Oklahoma, to the War Department in 1941.
Aug. 13, 2021
Vance remained open, thanks to a folder in the property officer's desk

Without Floyd Welsh, Vance Air Force Base could not have graduated over 35,000 pilots and counting.
Aug. 10, 2021
Vance innovators fuel AFWERX summit, share lessons learned

The Airmen leading the charge on Undergraduate Pilot Training 2.5 at the 71st Flying Training Wing shared their success and challenges with more than 100 Airmen, Guardians and Soldiers during a summit hosted by the AFWERX Las Vegas Hub, June 22-25.
Aug. 3, 2021
Hatcher retires from career inspired by grandfather’s flying stories

Maj. Steven Hatcher retired from active duty during a ceremony held at 1 p.m., Friday, July 23, in the 3rd Flying Training Squadron auditorium. After the ceremony, Hatcher shared insights from his 20-year Air Force career.
July 30, 2021
I figured an assignment at Vance would mean boring weather -- I was wrong

I grew up working on a produce farm outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We were always watching the weather. We needed to know when it would rain, when it would be too uncomfortably hot to work, when to finish a harvest early to avoid severe weather damage, and when the first hard freeze would come.

Baker farm becomes Enid Army Air Field during World War II