All
the services and their reserve components continue to show strong recruiting and retention efforts. Statistically, the Air National Guard fell slightly short of its goal of 855 recruits for the month of July and the Army National Guard came in at only 72 percent of its goal of 3,549. However, according to the Pentagon release, both are readjusting their recruiting drives “to meet targeted end strength” and both remain “on track to meet or exceed” annual enlisted accession goals. Indeed, as we reported the previous month, the Army Guard noted it was in “contraction mode.” The Pentagon believes all active and reserve components will meet their recruiting quotas and end strength goals for Fiscal 2009.
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.