The Air Force’s enlisted leader says the typical time-gap between Airman Leadership School and the Noncommissioned Officer Academy is too long and could slow an airman’s professional development. “We need to close that gap,” said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Roy. In the case of first line supervisors, which Roy characterized as “one of the most important positions” in USAF, “there’s a 10 year gap,” he told the 2010 Air Force Sergeants Association Professional Airmen’s Conference in Atlanta on Tuesday. Roy also said the Air Force should consider providing airmen with professional military education earlier in their careers. “For the first time, enlisted PME is being looked at by [Congress]. So far, they are satisfied with the system in place, but we know more improvements are necessary and will be made,” he said. (Atlanta release by TSgt. Amaani Lyle)
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.