The Air Force has awarded Bronze Star medals to CMSgt. David Nordel and TSgt. Michael Allen for the efforts while deployed to Iraq. The Chico (Calif.) Enterprise Record reports that Nordel, a medical service NCO currently assigned to Fairchild AFB, Wash., received his award for overseeing more than 200 medics engaged in direct-combat casualty care. He served as superintendent of the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group at Balad AB, Iraq. Of note, too, Nordel sent his medal to his mother in Orland, Calif., who told the newspaper, “Even if he wasn’t my son, I’d be so proud to know a man like him.” At Andersen AFB, Guam, Allen received his award for his actions as a contingency contracting officer for the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq Support Division in its efforts to rebuild the Iraqi military infrastructure. His deployed unit commander, Lt. Col. Michael Dombrowski, said, “He saved the day on numerous projects by picking them up mid-stream to keep them going and all were for the Iraqi police and army to train and stage them,” helping to reduce the number of US troops “needed to accomplish the mission there.” (Andersen report by TSgt. Brian Bahret)
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.