Maj. Erik Bruce, SMSgt. Gregory Williams, and MSgt. Clarence Barry Jr., three members of the 28th Security Forces Squadron assigned to Ellsworth AFB, S.D., received Bronze Stars April 16 during a ceremony at the base for their actions while deployed to Iraq. Bruce, commander of the 28th SFS, was recognized for his efforts as team chief of the Salah ad Din Provincial Police Transition Team and the commander of a detached unit in Iraq. Williams, operations superintendent of the 28th SFS, received an oak leaf cluster to go with the Bronze Star that he received for valor in Iraq in 2005. He received the cluster for his work during a subsequent tour, during which he served as a police transitions team operations superintendent, managing more than 200 military and civilian members and helping to develop the Iraqi police service. Barry, the operation section chief of the 28th SFS, earned his award for his activities as a logistics NCO in charge and a first sergeant in Tikrit, Iraq. (Ellsworth report by SrA. Kimberly Moore Limrick)
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.