west texas land is worthless, you can buy it to this day for about $1 per acre, I know because my family owned a 10,000 ranch in west texas.
It’s basically rocky desert.
Sheppard air force base, air force training command, I spent six months of quality time there, same year you boy wonder graduated high school, just a little north and east of paint creek. The area you are describing is van horn, texas. I have been there also.