Top navigation skipped
Exhibit 1
Estimated Total Contribution to the Texas Economy, Laughlin Air Force Base, 2023
Exhibit 2
Employment and Other Populations
Laughlin Air Force Base Economic Impact, 2023
Background
Laughlin Air Force Base was established in 1941 near Del Rio. It is home to the 47th Flying Training Wing, an undergraduate pilot training school.1 The 47th Flying Training Wing has been active at Laughlin since 1972 and has trained more than 15,000 pilots for the United States Air Force, the U.S. Air Force Reserve, the U.S. Air National Guard and its allies. Today it utilizes the T-6 Texan II, T-38C Talon and T-1A Jayhawk aircraft.2
Laughlin also houses a branch of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC). AETC, headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, is one of the oldest commands in the Air Force. AETC’s training mission, to find, recruit, train and educate the Airmen the nation needs, makes it the first command to touch the lives of nearly every Air Force member. More than 25 million students have graduated from AETC training and education programs in Texas and around the country.3 The base also houses several squadrons, support and operation groups, and medical facilities.
Economic Impact
The Comptroller’s office and the Texas Military Preparedness Commission collected economic data from each of the state’s 14 U.S. military installations. These data were collected using a survey designed to ensure consistency in determining the total direct and indirect contribution of the base’s populations to state-level employment, gross domestic product, output and disposable personal income (Exhibits 1 and 2).4
As of 2023, this command is home to a total of 3,043 direct employees, of which 1,309 are active-duty military personnel. The Comptroller’s office estimates the population directly affiliated with the Laughlin Air Force Base contributed at least $1.7 billion to the Texas economy in 2023.5
Estimated Total Contribution to the Texas Economy, Laughlin Air Force Base, 2023
| Contribution | Value |
|---|---|
| Total direct employment | 3,043 |
| Total employment (direct and indirect) | 7,533 |
| Output | $1,731,276,000 |
| Gross domestic product | $1,032,879,000 |
| Disposable personal income | $438,807,000 |
Notes: “Total direct employment” refers to both actual full time and full time equivalent (FTE) employees. For part-time employees, their FTE is calculated based on their hours divided by the standard 40-hour work week; “total employment” refers to both direct and indirect employment, meaning “total direct employment” as noted above plus any indirect employees such as temporary contractors; “output” refers to the total value of all goods and services (both final and intermediate) produced in Texas; “gross domestic product” refers to the total value of all final goods and services produced in Texas; “disposable personal income” refers to post-income-tax income.
Source: Regional Economic Models Inc. (REMI)
The Comptroller’s economic impact analysis represents a conservative estimate of the economic impact of the Laughlin Air Force Base on Texas. Each installation’s distinctive characteristics contribute to the Texas economy in different ways.
Employment and Other Populations
| Description | Full Time Equivalent (FTE) |
|---|---|
| FULL-TIME DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE | |
| Active Duty Army | 0 |
| Active Duty Navy | 0 |
| Active Duty Air Force | 1,251 |
| Active Duty Marine Corps | 0 |
| Active Duty Coast Guard | 0 |
| Active Duty National Guard/Reserve | 58 |
| FULL-TIME CIVILIAN PERSONNEL | |
| Appropriated | 941 |
| Non-Appropriated | 389 |
| OTHER FULL-TIME PERSONNEL | |
| Full Time Employees Not Listed Elsewhere | 0 |
| PART-TIME DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE | |
| Army Reserve | 0 |
| Navy Reserve | 0 |
| Air Force Reserve | 0 |
| Marine Corps Reserve | 0 |
| Coast Guard Reserve | 0 |
| PART-TIME CIVILIAN PERSONNEL | |
| Appropriated | 0 |
| Non-Appropriated | 76 |
| OTHER | |
| Contractors, Total (staff) | 404 |
| Average Daily Student Load | 467 |
| TOTALS | |
| Total Direct FTE Employment | 3,043 |
| Total Number of Dependents | 607 |
| Total Indirect FTE Employment | 4,490 |
Source: Laughlin Air Force Base
End Notes
- Laughlin Air Force Base, “Laughlin AFB History”, https://www.laughlin.af.mil/About-Us/ (Last visited April 26, 2024).↳
- Laughlin Air Force Base, “47th Flight Training Wing History”, https://www.laughlin.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/354526/47th-flying-training-wing-history/ (Last visited April 26, 2024).↳
- Air Education and Training Command, “About Us”, https://www.aetc.af.mil/About-Us/ (Last visited April 24, 2024).↳
- Estimate inputs and assumptions include the following: (1) all data submitted are for 2023; (2) input includes full-time, permanent employees and a full-time equivalent (FTE) for any part-time employees; (3) dependents are associated with the Laughlin Air Force Base only; (4) all economic impact is within Texas. ↳
- This study represents an analysis of the economic impact of the population and employees directly affiliated with the base. This includes active duty, visiting, and other military personnel, dependents, civilian employees and contractors directly affiliated with the base as reported in documents emailed from Laughlin Air Force Base to B. Keith Graf, Texas Military Preparedness Commission, February 2024.↳