President Obama on Monday awarded Army SSgt. Ty M. Carter of Antioch, Calif., the Medal of Honor during a ceremony in the White House’s East Room. Obama recognized Carter for his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity during an intense battle in Afghanistan on Oct. 3, 2009, at Combat Outpost Keating. Carter was a cavalry scout with the 4th Infantry Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team at the outpost when a force of more than 300 insurgents attacked it and threatened to completely overrun its 50 defenders. Among Carter’s heroics during the six-hour-plus battle, he helped to thwart enemy advances, rushed through enemy bullets to retrieve a wounded colleague, and saved the aid station from a burning tree. Obama said Carter’s actions were critical in defeating the attack. He told Carter “to never forget the difference” he made that day. “Because you helped turn back that attack, soldiers are alive today,” said Obama. Carter became the fifth living MOH recipient for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan, and the second survivor of the battle at Keating to receive the MOH, along with former Army SSgt. Clinton L. Romesha. (Obama’s remarks) (White House blog entry) (Army narrative of Carter’s action)
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.