Air Force officials at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash., have set a new mark for new recruits sworn in at one time at the base. During a July 17 ceremony, 201 high school graduates from Washington and Oregon enlisted, breaking the previous enlistee record of 178. “It was very exciting to see the future of the Air Force,” said Col. Kevin Kilb, commander of Lewis-McChord’s 62nd Airlift Wing. He led the swearing-in ceremony, which took place before the start of the base’s 2010 air expo. He added, “We had the opportunity to show our community the airmen they’ll be seeing at air shows a few years from now.” Air Force recruiting has remained strong throughout 2010, as reflected in the June figures released last week. (Lewis-McChord release)
The F-35 Joint Program Office has officially announced plans to issue multiple sole-source contracts to Pratt & Whitney to upgrade the fighter’s F135 engine—a widely expected move after Pentagon officials indicated they would do so earlier this year instead of developing an entirely new engine.