A group of Oklahoma students will receive important aviation experience thanks to a new donation.
State leaders found a retired U.S. Air Force jet for students at the Canadian Valley Technology Center in El Reno. A unique federal program made the donation possible.
The Federal surplus program receives surplus federal property and makes it available to local organizations that need it. State leaders said the program is investing in Oklahoma’s future.
Nathan Wald, administrator of capital management at the Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), said that if people have the support they need to turn their goals into reality, they can reach for the stars.
“We have answered the call,” said Wald. “We have to reinvest what we have here into our community. Otherwise we wouldn’t be here.”
Wald’s office helps government agencies do their work with as little conflict as possible.
“I make sure ODOT focuses on the roads,” Wald said. “I make sure DHS focuses on the people, because that’s what they need to do.”
OMES operates a federal surplus program that purchases federal property for local organizations to use. The Canadian Valley Technology Center’s El Reno campus will use the Raytheon Hawker Beechcraft TI-A Jayhawk for aircraft maintenance training. As a former U.S. Marine, Wald knows what it means to serve.
“I was part of something bigger than ‘myself,'” Wald said. “If we don’t do better now, who will? It’s easy to pass the puck, right?” “We decided to invest.”
Wald and his team took care of the work on site so that a group of students could give free rein to their passion.
“The policies are in place to provide for us Oklahomans in the future,” Wald said. “That’s why I’m doing this. Investing in Oklahoma students is a pretty big deal.”
A spokesman for the Canadian Valley Technology Center said the aircraft will prepare students for successful careers in aviation.
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