According to one of his bosses, 2nd Lt. Jack McGonegal performed “beyond my expectations of a second lieutenant” in serving as deputy commander of a Quick Reaction Force and theater internment facility operations commander in Iraq. Lt. Col. Paul Scholl, vice commander of the 50th Mission Support Group, made that observation as he pinned a Bronze Star on McGonegal. The young officer cited “a couple thousand detainees rioting” as “probably one of the most extreme experiences” requiring a QRF response within minutes. His actions included personally preventing one detainee from going over the fence during one of 10 large-scale disturbances. McGonegal is a member of the 22nd Security Forces Squadron at McConnell AFB, Kan. (Base report by A1C Jessica Lockoski)
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.
