Air Force Materiel Command’s enlisted force nominated its boss, Gen. Donald Hoffman, to receive the highest honor that it can bestow: the Order of the Sword. “Only a limited few are selected and Gen. Hoffman has certainly proven himself to be the kind of leader that the order recognizes,” said CMSgt. Eric Jaren, AFMC command chief. “In this tough fiscal environment, he has continued to make a positive impact on our enlisted airmen by promoting education and training initiatives and by making investments in facilities that impact airmen,” added Jaren. Hoffman’s induction ceremony will take place at the National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, on March 30. Hoffman has led AFMC since November 2008. He is stepping down and is expected to retire after a 38-year Air Force career. (Wright-Patterson report by Brian Brackens)
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.