Air Force Secretary Michael Donley authorized funding for skilled and licensed volunteers to travel to Minot, N.D., to perform home repairs for the nearly 250 airmen who remain displaced there following severe flooding of the Souris River in the summer. His memorandum, signed on Oct. 23, allows airmen and Defense Department civilians who possess requisite skills, but live outside of the Minot area, to be reimbursed for travel there to help in fixing the airmen’s dwellings. They will also receive a per diem. “Winter is quickly approaching, and this measure will provide airmen and DOD civilians with the help they need to get their houses winterized in order to prevent further damage,” said Col. James Dawkins, commander of Minot’s 5th Bomb Wing. “The program also accelerates Minot Air Force Base airmen getting back on their feet so they can continue to perform their critical ICBM and bomber missions,” said Col. Stephen Davis, 91st Missile Wing boss. (Minot report by A1C Jessica McConnell)
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.