Whiteman Air force base
whiteman afb, missouri:
The 509th Bomb Wing is part of Air Force Global Strike Command and is the host wing at Whiteman Air Force Base (WAFB), Mo. The Bomb Wing and its fleet of B-2 Spirit bombers serve as part of the Air Force's conventional and strategic combat force. The Bomb Wing can project U.S. airpower anywhere around the world from home station and employ a wide range of precision-guided munitions. The 509th Bomb Wing oversees the 509th Operations Group, 509th Maintenance Group, 509th Mission Support Group and 509th Medical Group, which handle various aspects of the wing's mission.
Col. Keith Butler, is the commander of the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. He is responsible for the combat readiness of the Air Force's only B-2 base, including development and employment of the B-2's combat capability as part of Air Force Global Strike Command.
WAFB ECONOMIC IMPACT
As the Top Employer in Johnson County, Whiteman Air Force Base has a large economic impact in the surrounding areas. The Economic Impact Report is posted annually by Whiteman Air Force Base to reflect the impact of personnel, payroll, and expenditures derived from the base.
Below you will find a brief executive summary from the WAFB Economic Impact Report for FY23:
| BASE EMPLOYMENT | |
| Active Duty Military | 3,240 |
| Reserve/Guard/ANG | 304 |
| Non-Extended Reserve/Guard | 1,448 |
| Appropriated & Other Civilian | 2,584 |
| Total Base Employment | 7,576 |
| BASE PAYROLL | |
| Active Duty Military | $303,022,460 |
| Reserve/Guard/Army National Guard | $39,341,398 |
| Non-Extended Reserve/Guard | $47,893,253 |
| Civilian Pay | $148,077,494 |
| Total Base Payroll | $538,334,605 |
| Annual Retiree Payroll | $116,665,931 |
| Total Annual Base Expenditures | $151,989,653 |
| Estimated Annual Value of Jobs Created | $102,345,984 |
| Estimated Total Impact Within Economic Impact Region | $909,336,173 |
(WAFB Economic Impact Region - The Economic Impact Region is defined as the area within a 50-mile radius of an installation and is shown on the graphic above.)
Click here to view the full Whiteman AFB Economic Impact Report
(October 1, 2022-September 30, 2023)
WAFB IMPACT ON EDUCATION
The Whiteman Air Force Base (WAFB) region is home to high quality school districts and post-secondary education. The military has a large impact on the local school districts. Below are 2022 statistics of the largest school districts near WAFB, as provided to JCEDC by School Representatives.
- 1,400 military connected children in attendance; approximately 70%
- Knob Noster Schools also operate Whiteman Elementary, a PreK-5th grade building located on Whiteman AFB.
- In 2017, 2019, and 2021 KNPS was the Recipient of the prestigious Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award through the Military Child Education Coalition.
- Additionally, in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 Knob Noster High School was recognized as the #1 rural school in Missouri for College and Career Readiness by US News and World Report.
*Updated July 2023
- 546+/- military connected children in attendance; approximately 15% of the PreK-12 enrollment, which is around 3,500 students
- In 2024, the Warrensburg R-VI School District's Preschool Program was awarded the 2024 Early Childhood Education Program of the Year Award for a mid-size school district
^Updated August 2024