It’s not every airman who receives a Bronze Star with Valor, much less one presented by a former Air Force Chief of Staff, but SrA. Bren Mejia received his award from retired Gen. John Jumper during a Warrior Call at Holloman AFB, N.M., on Oct. 30, according to an Nov. 5 release. Mejia, with the 49th Civil Engineer Squadron at Holloman, where Jumper was on a two-day visit, received the Bronze Star for his “heroic actions” (no specifics provided in the release) while deployed to Afghanistan. He also received a Purple Heart. (Holloman report by A1C Sondra Escutia)
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.
