Some of the KC-135 tankers with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard’s 171st Air Refueling Wing for several years have sported some unit-inspired nose art, through the efforts of the wing’s head of maintenance, Lt. Col. Tom Hess. TSgt. Brian Jones reports that Hess had placed an ad and tried an art school, finally finding an artist—Donna Pitaro—close to home. She is the sister of a unit member. Aircraft crew chiefs get to provide the design ideas, as long as they comply with regulations and contain one element dictated by Hess. He wants the art to contain a Strategic Air Command fist to “honor the legacy of the aircraft,” says Hess.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…
