There are hundreds of 
airmen in Iraq who are working Army convoys—filling non-traditional missions. Recently the Army singled out 12 airmen of the 732nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, assigned to Balad AB, Iraq, for their support as convoy escorts. Receiving the Army Bronze Star were: Capt. Maria Roberts, 1st Lt. Edward Torres, CMSgt. Paul McGinnis, MSgts. David John, James Muncy, and Gary Vercher, TSgts. Timothy Waggoner, Lance Boeding, Michael Powers, and Richard Snider, and A1C Aaron Mendez. MSgt. Donna Noel received the Army Meritorious Service Medal. (Read about convoy airmen in “The Expeditionary Force Under Stress.”
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.