CMSgt. James Hotaling, the Air National Guard’s new command chief, met with Air Guardsmen at JB Andrews, Md., to discuss the profession of arms and health of the force, and to recognize the ANG’s achievements, according to an Andrews release. During the enlisted call, Hotaling emphasized education, such as earning a Community College of the Air Force degree, according to the March 4 release. “We have to do professional development, we have to go to the right schools, we have to educate ourselves,” he said. As command chief, Hotaling is responsible for the health, morale, and welfare of enlisted Air Guard personnel and their families. He noted that he and his wife, Marie, “are going to make sure that we are taking care of airmen.” Hotaling also talked about having a resilient mindset in the midst of challenging times and encouraged airmen to share their achievements. “Tell our story; what we do is an incredible thing for our nation every single day,” he said during the Feb. 28 meeting. (Andrews report by MSgt. Marvin R. Preston)
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.