Air Education and Training Command, with headquarters at Randolph AFB near San Antonio, Texas, was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University.

Its mission is to recruit, train and educate quality people through military, technical and flying training and pre-commissioning, professional military and continuing education.

The command includes two numbered air forces, the Air University, Air Force Recruiting Service and Wilford Hall Medical Center. More than 43,000 active duty members and 14,000 civilians make up AETC. The command has responsibility for approximately 1,500 aircraft.

The host unit on Sheppard is the 82nd Training Wing whose mission makes it the most diversified training base in AETC. The 82nd TRW provides specialized technical training, medical and field training for officers, enlisted and civilians of all branches of the military including the Air Force Reserves, Air National Guard, other DoD agencies and foreign nationals. Courses, resident and nonresident, exceed 1,100. More than 87,000 people graduate from basic and advanced courses ranging from pharmacy to power production, aircraft maintenance to budget and data systems each year. The wing also supports undergraduate pilot training as well as flying training to students from 13 NATO nations through the 80th Flying Training Wing.

The 82nd, 782nd, 882nd and 982nd Training groups administer the 82nd TRW's training programs. The base receives major operational support from the 82nd Mission Support Group and the 82nd Medical Group.

This wing staff agency serves as the single point of control for all Sheppard technical and military training issues for the wing commander and higher headquarters and supports training for more than 80,000 Air Force, DoD and international students annually. Along with administering the wing's military and technical training programs, Training Operations develops wing policy and promotes identification and crossfeed of best practices in training. The office serves as a central point for prioritization and balance of student training requirements against available wing resources, managing sixteen student dormitories and more than $2.3 billion in assets for four group staffs, 13 squadrons and 60 geographically separated units. As the primary advocate for resources to Air Staff and major commands, Training Operations provides execution oversight of a $41.7 million technical training budget. In addition, the agency manages integration of technology in training, faculty and staff development and supports the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard liaisons.