The 354th Force Support Squadron will become official today (April 29) during a ceremony at Eielson AFB, Alaska. The Air Force selected Eielson in January 2007 as one of six bases at which to test the force-shaping initiative of merging mission support and service units into a single consolidated force support squadron. A provisional FSS stood up at Eielson last July during the test period. The Air Force approved the new permanent FSS structure April 1. The base’s new FSS includes five flights: force development, manpower and personnel, airman and family services, sustainment services, and community services. On April 4, Holloman AFB, N.M., got its own FSS with the standup of the 49th Force Support Squadron. (Includes Eielson report by A1C Nora Anton)
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.