Likely due to the still shaky economy, the military services are continuing to reap recruiting dividends following a banner year in 2009. In the first month of the new fiscal year, according to the latest statistics released by the Pentagon last week, all the services and their reserve components achieved a hundred percent or better toward their enlisted recruiting goals for the month of October. And active duty retention remains on target; there was no corresponding information on reserve retention.
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.