The Air Force plans to reduce the number of airmen who support retiree funerals from 10 to seven, beginning Nov. 1. SSgt. Madelyn Waychoff reports that three factors affected this decision: the service’s drawdown of airmen, a continuing high operations tempo, and an increasing number of retiree funerals. Those seven airmen from a base honor guard will serve as pallbearers, flag folders, flag presenter, bugler, spare and firing party.
The Air Force Research Laboratory awarded Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems Inc. and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems matching $17.7 million contracts for an "Off-Board Sensing Station,” which is an unmanned aircraft that would extend a manned fighter’s sensing range and also potentially carry additional weapons for that aircraft. The cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts…