New Lackland Facility Consolidates Pan-American Aviation Training

Senior USAF officials, representatives from six Latin American nations, and leaders from the Inter-America Air Forces Academy opened a new airfield training complex at Lackland AFB, Tex., a part of Joint Base San Antonio. The $19 million IAAFA facility, eight years in the making, combines all aviation maintenance courses for the school in one location, according to academy officials. It also provides a new home for the 318th Training Squadron. “This facility serves as another milestone in the [academy’s] 68-year legacy of enriching the global community of airmen,” said Lt. Gen. Robin Rand, commander of 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern). The complex opened on Feb. 9 and welcomed its first students four days later. The IAAFA, founded in 1943, teaches technical courses, in both Spanish and English, to airmen from the militaries of more than 20 Latin American countries every year. (San Antonio report by Mike Joseph)