The latest promotion data for selection to master sergeant and technical sergeant show a 5 percent and 1.6 percent jump, respectively, over last year. The Air Force selected 6,002 out of 24,115 technical sergeants for promotion to master sergeant, and 7,314 out of 34,797 eligible staff sergeants for tech. CMSgt. Rusty Nicholson at the Air Force Personnel Center said the “promotion quota was significantly higher this year” and the eligibility pool was “smaller.” He noted, though, that nearly 6,000 deployed noncommissioned officers have yet to test for promotion. The Air Force plans to consider them in a supplemental list.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
