Maj. Gen. Gregory Feest has assumed command of the Air Force Safety Center at Kirtland AFB, N.M., succeeding Maj. Gen. Frederick Roggero, who led the center since December 2008. Roggero is officially retiring on Oct. 1 after 33 years of uniformed service. “We will continue to build existing programs and initiate new programs that reach out to our airmen,” said Feest after accepting the center’s guidon from Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz during the change-of-command ceremony earlier this month. He also reaffirmed that preventing mishaps and preserving combat capabilities are the center’s top priorities. Prior to this assignment, Feest led 19th Air Force at Randolph AFB, Tex, for more than two years, managing flying training within Air Education and Training Command. (Kirtland report by Marie Vanover)
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.