TSgt. Tamara Acfalle, an instructor at the Airman Leadership School at Patrick AFB, Fla., is one of the Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2015. Acfalle served as acting commandant for the Patrick Airman Leadership School and was instrumental in securing $65,000 in funding to fuel the $590,000 renovation of the wing’s Professional Development Center. She led the installation of $47,000 in interactive smart boards, forming 21st century classrooms. Acfalle’s iPad initiative reduced the school’s operating costs and was chosen by the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force to be briefed at the Enlisted Force Development Panel in Washington, DC. Ultimately, her proposal was adopted as the future Air Force standard. She also led 183 volunteers through 47 events, raising more than $1.5 million in proceeds that were donated to charity, and she completed the Noncommissioned Officer Academy, garnering the John L. Levitow Award. Air Force Magazine is shining the spotlight on each OAY in the days leading up to AFA’s Air & Space Conference, which starts Sept. 14 in National Harbor, Md. Also featured were: SrA. Allen Cherry, SrA. Meaghan Holley, SrA. Mason Meherg, SSgt. Kresston Davis, SSgt. Lindsey Fuentes, SSgt. Kurtis Harrison, SSgt. Travis Jordan, and SSgt. Douglas Kechijian.
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.