SrA. Mason Meherg, a financial services technician with the 509th Comptroller Squadron at Whiteman AFB, Mo., is one of the Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2015. Meherg coordinated all separations and retirements for Whiteman Air Force Base during 2014’s force management initiatives, leading to 562 final payments totaling more than $5 million. While serving in an NCOIC position, he oversaw more than 16,000 case resolutions, averaging a 10-day close verses the 45-day standard. Meherg audited over 3,000 military pay documents with a 99-percent accuracy rating and validated 450 military pay records while authorizing 20,000 accrued leave days. As a leader at his wing, he also led the Whiteman Airmen’s Council by representing 1,800 airmen through three multi-day events. Additionally, he completed 12 financial management modules and earned his DOD Level 1 certification two years ahead of schedule. Air Force Magazine is shining the spotlight on each OAY in the days leading up to AFA’s Air & Space Conference, which starts Sept. 14 in National Harbor, Md. Also featured were: SrA. Allen Cherry and SrA. Meaghan Holley.
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.