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Exhibit 1: Estimated Total Contribution of
Sheppard Air Force Base to the Texas Economy, 2025
Employment and Other Populations
Texas Military Installations, 2025 Sheppard Air Force Base
Background
Sheppard Air Force Base, established in 1941 near Wichita Falls, is home to the U.S. Air Force’s largest technical training wing and the world’s only internationally manned and managed flying training program.1 The Air Education and Training Command at Sheppard provides essential technical training, flying training and professional military education.
Sheppard contains two major units under the command.
- The host unit, 82nd Training Wing, delivers technical training to over 60,000 graduates annually. This training spans various fields, including aircraft maintenance, logistics, civil engineering, munitions and nuclear operations, and it is spread over more than 1,100 courses.2
- The 80th Flying Training Wing operates the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program. This program provides undergraduate pilot training, introduction to fighter fundamentals training and pilot instructor training. As of 2026, it has provided NATO allies with over 8,600 combat pilots.3
Sheppard’s off-site operations include Frederick Airport, used for touch-and-go pilot training, and the Sheppard annex, which facilitates training on Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Crashed, Damaged, and Disabled Aircraft Removal. Additionally, Sheppard oversees more than 1,300 personnel across 63 global detached units spanning five countries and three continents. These units support technical training for operational wings.
Economic Impact
As of 2025, this base is home to 5,136 direct employees, of which 1,963 are active-duty military, National Guard and/or reserve. This base also has 978 military retirees accessing the installation, camp facilities and resources. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts estimates the population directly affiliated with Sheppard contributed at least $2.8 billion to the Texas economy in 2025.4
The Comptroller’s office and the Texas Military Preparedness Commission collected economic data from each of the state’s 14 U.S. military installations. This data was 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 (Exhibit 1).5
| Contribution | Value |
|---|---|
| Total direct employment6 | 5,136 |
| Total employment (direct & indirect)7 | 13,024 |
| Output8 | $2,837,480,000 |
| Gross domestic product9 | $1,725,519,000 |
| Disposable personal income10 | $ 971,863,000 |
Source: Regional Economic Models Inc. (REMI) - model for Texas
The Comptroller’s economic impact analysis represents a conservative estimate of the importance of Sheppard to Texas. Each installation’s distinctive characteristics contribute to the Texas economy in different ways. This analysis uses a consistent model to determine the impact of each of the state’s military installations on the state’s economic growth.
| Contribution | Value |
|---|---|
| FULL-TIME DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE | |
| Active-Duty Army | 18 |
| Active-Duty Navy | 28 |
| Active-Duty Air Force | 1,840 |
| Active-Duty Marine Corps | 8 |
| Active-Duty Coast Guard | 0 |
| Active-Duty National Guard/Reserve | 69 |
| Full-Time Employees Not Listed Elsewhere | 0 |
| FULL-TIME CIVILIAN PERSONNEL | |
| Appropriated | 1,163 |
| Non-Appropriated | 471 |
| 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 | 14 |
| OTHER | |
| Contractors, Total (staff) | 1,525 |
| Average Daily Student Load | 3,883 |
| TOTALS | |
| Total Direct FTE Employment | 5,136 |
| Number of Dependents | 4,567 |
| Total Indirect FTE Employment | 13,024 |
Source: Sheppard Air Force Base
End Notes
- Sheppard Air Force Base; “History,” (Last Visited May 1, 2026) ↳
- Sheppard Air Force Base, “82nd Training Wing,” (Last Visited May 4, 2026). ↳
- Sheppard Air Force Base, “80th Flying Training Wing,” (Last Visited May 4, 2026). ↳
- 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 Sheppard Air Force Base to B. Keith Graf, Texas Military Preparedness Commission, February 2026. ↳
- Estimate inputs and assumptions include the following: (1) all data submitted are for 2025; (2) input includes full-time, permanent employees and a full-time equivalent (FTE) for any part-time employees; (3) dependents are associated with Sheppard Air Force Base only; (4) all economic impact is within Texas. ↳
- “Total direct employment” refers to both actual full-time and full-time equivalent (FTE) employees plus contractors. 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. Intermediate goods are those used to produce final goods. Sugar, for example, would be an intermediate good when used in the production of candy (final good) by candy companies. ↳
- “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. ↳