Latest news with #ENJJPT
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Community leaders join ENJJPT trainers to foster relations
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — It turned out to be a beautiful morning to fly over Wichita Falls. From briefing to takeoff and more, three area mayors got to experience ENJJPT. An experience they call continuing to build community relations. 'I actually thought I might [be getting] pranked,' Wichita Falls Mayor Tim Short said when asked about his reaction to the invitation. Short, along with Holliday Mayor Brad Litteken and Iowa Park Mayor Jeff Pogatshnik, took to the sky inside T-38s, an opportunity Short was quick to accept when invited. 'This shows just an added level of support between our community and our NATO partners to be able to come out and have this kind of experience is quite an honor,' Short said Littleken said Sheppard is sewn in all surrounding communities. As Holliday's mayor, getting a glimpse of ENJJPT helps him better his community. 'It's a big outreach,' Litteken said. 'It's definitely necessary, but we need to build those bridges with them. We've got plenty of pilots and things that live [in Holliday], so they're obviously directly connected to it.' Flights took off around 10:50 a.m. and lasted a little less than an hour. 80th Training Wing Commander Colonel Jeffery Shulman said bringing community partners on base will be a win-win for everybody. 'It's nice to be able to share some of that with them. To bring the military family together with the community. That's why we do these kinds of things,' Shulman said. 'We cannot do our mission; our families cannot be successful without the support of the communities around the base.' As communities come together, they continue to support the mission of ENJJPT. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
80th Flying Training Wing holds first-ever off-base ENJJPT graduation
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)— For the first time, graduates from the 80th training wing ENJJPT program hold certificates from a ceremony off Sheppard Air Force Base property. After speaking with graduates, the location of the graduation makes no difference. 1st lieutenant Michael Smith and the rest of class 25-04 graduated at the Wichita Falls Convention Center in the Delta Hotel at the heart of the city. To commemorate the graduation, city officials like Mayor Tim Short and several city councilors were in attendance. During their training, Smith and his classmates spent several hours giving back to the community around Sheppard. 'We couldn't have done it without the support of the local community and all the things that we do off-base to try to give back are just to try and show our appreciation for the community that supports us through all of it,' Smith said. The ENJJPT program plays a vital role in the importance of Sheppard Air Force Base. The program's prestige allows pilots like Greggor Hines to take great pride in walking across the stage and getting pinned with their hard-earned wings. 'Since the '80s we've been working together with this partnership to build NATO's fighter pilots,' Hines said. 'I think it's truly an honor that I get to walk across the stage tonight. I just can't wait. I think that really the whole program is pretty incredible.' For Hines, the most important aspect of the program is the connections he's made through the years of hard work. One of his wingmen from overseas changed how he reads maps. Though the change is small, it's emblematic of what ENJJPT hopes to be for all of its pilots. 'We were doing a low level, and he had a certain way that he was able to fold the map and that really helped me personally,' Hines said. 'And that seems like such a small detail, but I think that highlights just how incredible partnerships are.' As the class 25-04 moves on to their next assignments around the country, both Hines and Smith will remember the time they spent learning with their international wingmen. 'We get really the best of all of that international training to make us the best product we can,' Smith said. 'Not only as American pilots for us or German pilots for my classmates, but really pilots for the NATO alliance.' No matter where they go next in training, they will always be NATO pilots. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wichita Falls employee recognized for Sheppard Air Force Base efforts
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — One City of Wichita Falls employee recently won the Community Partner of the Year Award, which thanks those in the community for being active advocates and forcing change that helps Sheppard Air Force Base. The 82nd Mission Support Group awarded Karen Montgomery-Gagne the Community Partner of the Year. Gagne officially received this award on March 7 and will receive special recognition at the city council meeting on Tuesday, March 18. Commander Colonel John Hollister from the 82nd Mission Support Group praised Gagne for being a 'critical component' of the mission's continued success. 'We wanted to take the time to ensure that we were thanking those in the community that help SAFB. Mrs. Montgomery-Gagne has been a constant advocate and force for change to help advance the training missions,' Hollister said. 'Specific instances were taking the lead drafting the grant package for the DEAAG, advancing language to the 4A/4B boards for economic assistance to both DEAAG and BASH weed control. In addition, she is continually in communications with multiple base agencies regarding everything from utilities to obstructions in the local air space.' Gagne is the city's principal planner and has partnered with SAFB, the Sheppard Military Affairs Committee, and the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce on three different grant programs, including the Defense Economic Adjustment Assistant Grant Program. 'I feel very honored I have been given the opportunity both professionally and personally to be involved with Sheppard Air Force Base through the ENJJPT program,' Gagne said. 'I have enjoyed working with so many wonderful people at the 82nd while also getting to know all of the incredible people that come through Wichita Falls through ENJJPT. This community is very blessed to have this Air Force installation here locally.' She and her family have been ENJJPT co-sponsors for the Italian delegation since 2013. They welcome new students when they arrive in Wichita Falls, which allows the students to connect locally. Director of Development Services Terry Floyd expressed gratitude for Gagne and praised her hard work for SAFB and the entire community. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Rise Against Hunger volunteers package 25,000 meals at First Christian Church
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Charity can be a small gesture or a grand one. First Christian Church prefers the latter. Hundreds of volunteers packed and shipped 25,000 meals to people in need around the world for Rise Against Hunger. According to Rise Against Hunger Area Manager Marshay Love, the church's efforts wouldn't have been possible without their donations. PREVIOUS: WF church to package thousands of meals for worldwide distribution 'The volunteers are funding it,' Love said. 'The volunteers are funneling it into and then putting it into the meal bag, and their hands are literally the last hands to touch the meals before they get over to their receiving community.' Each meal bag has the same ingredients; scoops of rice, soy, freeze-dried fruits, and vitamins, all meant to be boiled in a pot. After they're shipped, they can become something entirely new depending on their destination. 'Sometimes in the Philippines, they'll put yams and different types of potatoes and stuff with the meals just to give them more heartiness and just make it a little bit more bulky while also adding to it that cultural spin,' Love said. Over the last six years, First Christian Church has sent over 125,000 meals to people in need. Each year, the church's senior minister Dr. Mark Bender, and the rest of the church got the packing down to a science. 'We've got the youngest kids helping. We've got our oldest folks in and participating wherever they are,' Bender said. 'And we've got people who could not stand for long periods of time, they have a role to play as well.' LOCAL NEWS: ENJJPT program at Sheppard AFB molding lives of future pilots Nationalities of all kinds played a part too. Lieutenant Colonel Michael Rosenkrands with the Royal Danish Air Force was invited to take part as he is staying at Sheppard Air Force Base with the ENJJPT course. 'Honestly, packing a box of food here and giving it to somebody that needs it, it really doesn't matter if it's local or regional or global. I think it's just important we get it out there,' Rosenkrands said. Once packed up, the meals are shipped to one of nearly 80 countries. The 25,000 packed today will go to Burundi in central Africa. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Corporate Transparency Act now in effect for small businesses, deadline looms
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Small business owners should be aware of a recent update on the Corporate Transparency Act. After facing numerous injunctions and blocks on the national level, previously blocked Beneficial Ownership Information, BOI, reports must be filed by March 21, 2025. ENJJPT program at Sheppard Air Force Base molding lives of future pilots The CTA was put in place to stop organized crime by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, FinCEN, but some small business owners believe it's government overreach. Just because of the heavy reach down, you know, into the weeds of everybody in the company, there's a lot of people that don't want to give out that information,' Next Level Golf Joe Shaffer said in a January interview. If reporting companies don't file, they will face a nearly $600 daily fine and up to $10,000 in other fees. FinCEN's website says, though, that it expects to revise reporting rules to lower burdens for small businesses, but no other information has been released. To see if your small business is included in the requirement, visit FinCEN's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
