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.

Whiteman Air Force Base in Johnson County, Missouri

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 FY22:

BASE EMPLOYMENT
Active Duty Military3,841
Reserve/Air & Army National Guard2,320
Appropriated & Other Civilian2,027
Total Base Employment8,188
BASE PAYROLL
Active Duty Military$238,785,498
Reserve/Air & Army National Guard$90,875,783
Appropriated Fund Civilian$61,004,786
Other Civilians$18,570,257
Total Base Payroll$409,236,324
Annual Retiree Payroll$67,239,000
Total Annual Base Expenditures$192,693,261
Estimated Annual Value of Jobs Created$110,427,795
Estimated Total Impact Within Economic Impact Region$716,596,380

(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, 2023-September 30, 2022)

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.


KNOB NOSTER R-VIII SCHOOL DISTRICT*

  • 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

WARRENSBURG R-VI SCHOOL DISTRICT^
  • 610+ military connected children in attendance; approximately 18% of the PreK-12 enrollment, which is around  3,380 students
    ^Updated February 2022

First Lady of United States and Secretary of Education Visit - April 2022:

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona visit Knob Noster Public Schools in recognition of Month of the Military Child and the commitment of the school district to serve military families.

Missouri First Lady and Spouse of Chief of Staff of Air Force Visit April 2023:

Missouri First Lady Teresa Parson and Spouse of the 22nd Chief of Staff of the Air Force Sharene Brown visit Knob Noster Public Schools in recognition of Month of the Military Child and the school district's ongoing dedication to serve military families. Knob Noster Public Schools was also named a Missouri Purple Star School District for demonstrating a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation's military.

STEM2 (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, & Manufacturing:

Knob Noster School's Engineering and Robotics program has emerged as a national leader, winning multiple national-level awards and recognitions for their academic performance.  KNHS students recently were called upon by the Wing Commander at Whiteman AFB to design, fit/form/test, and manufacture a safety part that is now operational across the $80 billion fleet of B-2 Stealth Bombers.