MSgt. Darrel Brownlee
and his son, SrA. Kevin Brownlee, Reservists with Air Force Reserve Command’s 301st Fighter Wing at NAS JRB Fort Worth, Tex., are both deployed to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, where they are serving on an 80-day rotation with the 332nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aircraft maintenance unit. Both Brownlees say they work very well together. “It’s great working with my son,” says Brownlee the elder, adding jokingly, “He finally does what I tell him to do.” His son retorts, “I have a good time working with my dad because I get to teach him something every once in a while.” The elder Brownlee has been a Reservist for 17 years after spending seven years on active duty. His son has been a Reservist for three years. (Balad report by SSgt. John Gordinier)
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.