Tonight Show host Jay Leno was on hand for the recent grand opening of Air Force Reserve’s new recruiting station in Wasilla, Alaska. He then watched Maj. Gen. Frank Padilla, 10th Air Force commander, lead 13 Alaskans through the oath of enlistment. These new Reservists will be part of Air Force Reserve Command’s 477th Fighter Group that stood up in 2007 at Joint Base Elmendorf to help operate the base’s two F-22 squadrons with the active duty 3rd Wing. “I come from a town a lot smaller than this and this is really what America is all about,” said Leno. He thanked the recruits for stepping up to serve. Col. Eric Overturf, 477th FG commander, said it is nice now “to have a place to get to see and talk to and recruit people.” (Elmendorf report by Luke Waack)
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.