A former Air Force basic training instructor could face more than 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to mistreating recruits at JBSA-Lackland, Texas, reported the San Antonio-Express-News. SSgt. Annamarie Ellis pled guilty to “three charges and 24 specifications of maltreating recruits” on March 25, according to the article. During a 22-month period beginning in 2009, Ellis allegedly threatened “to cut off an airman’s genitals and [obstructed] an investigation into how a recruit got a black eye,” it states. Col. Donald Eller Jr., the judge who will rule in her case, also ruled over a number of sexual abuse cases from military training instructors at JBSA-Lackland. However, the allegations against Ellis do not include sexual misconduct, states the article. Eller dismissed one specification against her but maintained that Ellis could still face “a steep sentence,” according to the article.
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.
