Team Vance welcome at Enid rally Published Nov. 28, 2006 By Col. Bryan Benson 71st Flying Training Wing Vance Air Force Base, Okla. -- I am glad to be back, Team Vance! Thank you so much for the tremendous job at the T-6 ceremony. It was my first day back, and what a welcome you gave me. It was great to see a new aircraft parked on the flightline; numerous Team Vance personnel and community leaders on hand to witness this momentous event and Mother Nature even cooperated by giving us a nice spring day to fully enjoy the moment. Previously, I've discussed the Enid community and how supportive it is and has always been of Vance Air Force Base. Enid, for being a small community of 46,000 residents, has accomplished many firsts in terms of community support for its base. One of the most noticeable things we see are the billboards lining the highways welcoming us to Enid, America, home of Vance AFB. You just don't get that type of welcome at other bases. Secondly, when the Air Force used to pay 75 percent of tuition assistance for our Airmen attending college classes, the community picked up the remaining 25 percent. Now that the Air Force pays 100 percent of TA, the community pays up to $100 per class for up to two classes per semester for books. Well, the city of Enid has done it again. A rally will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the Mark Price Arena where Enid will officially adopt the VAFB Security Forces Squadron as part of the America Supports You program. Companies have adopted units since this program started but Enid is the first community to adopt a unit, once again, setting a precedent for other communities to follow. I encourage you to attend Thursday night's rally. The event will last approximately one hour and I know it will be a patriotic and moving event you won't want to miss. Finally Team Vance, I encourage you to take advantage of the many events and services VAFB has for you. Starting April 1, please turn to Channel 43, the Commander's Access Channel, and check out our new state-of-the-art, visually dynamic program! This channel is going to be the way you will find out the latest happenings on your base. There will be a news channel playing on it 24/7, there will also be slides simultaneously playing, advertising all the base's events coming up and there will also be a ticker tape running across the bottom of the screen with important information regarding Force Protection Conditions, weather conditions, etc. I encourage all of you to check it out. Remember, you can give me your feedback at any time by using my Straight Scoop action line; I want to hear what you have to say Team Vance. Thank you for another safe week, for exercising proper Operational Risk Management and using the wingman approach to taking care of one another. Have a great weekend.