The top enlisted airman, CMSAF Rodney McKinley, writes in a new “Enlisted Perspective” paper that the military training instructors of his basic training days taught him lessons that “helped mold me into the airman I am today.” The paper is an entreaty to senior airmen and staff and technical sergeants to join the ranks of MTIs to help the service “meet the demands of our increasing end strength.” The service needs some 220 more MTIs to sustain its plan to push 4,000 additional young people through basic training each year over the next two years, said McKinley.
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.
