Sheppard is one of 13 air education bases in the country. Joint training among branches of the U.S. service is another mission. A few years ago, Sheppard began hosting student soldiers, Seabees and Marines. Sheppard is the largest employer in the Wichita Falls metropolitan statistical area, with nearly 4,000 permanent party military personnel and an equivalent number of civilian employees. On average there are some 5,500 students on base at any one time.
Total payroll is nearly a quarter of a billion dollars annually.
Sheppard's impact, though, is not only financial. Because of the presence of the base, many military retirees from all services choose Wichita Falls as their home. And Sheppard's impact on the social activities of the city is undeniable. Each Fourth of July, Sheppard swings open its gates to the community for a gala Independence Day celebration. Volunteers from Sheppard's Civil Engineers, as well as other units, frequently provide much-needed manpower to some of the city's largest events.