Dover C-17 brings community leaders to Vance

  • Published
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. – Twenty-two community leaders from Dover, Delaware, visited Vance Air Force Base Aug. 14-16.

Hosted by 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs, the visit was intended to showcase the Vance student pilot training mission to Dover Air Force Base community leaders who see the “end” product of the Undergraduate Pilot Training mission in their community every day.

During their stay they toured the base, to include the air traffic control tower and life support, and were given the opportunity to try flying via the virtual-reality simulators student pilots are now using to augment their training.

Community leaders from Enid, Oklahoma, were also part of the visit and flew in the C-17 Globemaster III that brought the Dover community leaders to Vance.

They observed an in-flight refueling training in cooperation with KC-135 Stratotanker crews from the 22nd Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. They, in turn, saw how their support of the Undergraduate Pilot Training mission impacts the Air Force as a whole.

The Dover and Enid community leaders had a chance to meet each other Thursday evening for a social attended by Maj. Gen. Craig Wills, 19th Air Force commander; Chief Master Sgt. Erik Thompson, 19th Air Force command chief; and Brig. Gen. Richard Moore, Director of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.

The visit culminated in the Dover community leaders attending the Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 19-21 and 19-22 graduation Aug. 16, bringing the intent of the trip full circle.