April 8, 2024 - Washington DC
Dr. Jerrod Wheeler has been re-elected to the Board of Directors for the Association of Defense Communities (ADC) as the 2024 National Summit kicked off this morning in our nation’s capitol.
Over the last three years, Wheeler has emerged as a key leader for the association, specifically in the area of military child education and military spousal employment, as the Department of Defense continues to prioritize quality of life issues for servicemember families. Wheeler continues to serve as a thought leader on key initiatives, with a focus on unifying efforts across multiple organizations to effect positive change.
The National Defense Authorization Act now calls for all branches of service to produce a scorecard on the quality of preK-12 education. The Air Force led the way on this initiative, with an inaugural scorecard released in 2019 at which time Whiteman Air Force Base ranked number one on quality of education across all 154 Air Force installations in the country.
For nearly a decade, the relationship between Knob Noster Public Schools and Whiteman Air Force Base has continued to evolve and strengthen. It now serves as a model of excellence for the entire nation, and the results show. For five years running, Knob Noster Public Schools has been home to Missouri’s number one rural high school for career and college readiness by U.S. News and World Report.
During Wheeler’s time on the ADC Board, the organization successfully championed the Defense Communities Infrastructure Program, securing $100 million annually while moving the program from pilot to permanent status. Currently, the organization is advocating for a similar infrastructure program focused exclusively on quality of life projects.
Dr. Jerrod Wheeler presents ADC’s 2023 Great American Defense Communities Award to Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, United States Strategic Command Commander General Anthony Cotton, Offutt Air Force Base leadership, along with Randy Norwood and members of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce.
ADC builds resilient communities that support America’s military and serves as the connection point for leaders from communities, states, the military, and industry on community-military issues by enhancing knowledge, information sharing, and best practices. With nearly 300 communities, states, regions, and affiliated industry organizations, ADC represents every major defense community/state in the nation. For more information, visit www.defensecommunities.org.