Major General (ret) Kurt “Nubes” Neubauer is a senior consultant for Two Blue Aces, LLC. He has extensive depth in leading joint and combined military operations, policy, strategy development, operational requirements, and risk management. His primary focus is on defense and aerospace, emphasizing leadership, risk management and business networking.
Kurt transitioned from the Air Force after more than 34 years of service and joined Raytheon Missiles and Defense as requirements and capabilities business development lead for medium-range strike weapons, leveraging his operational expertise and USAF relationships to help develop service strike weapon operational concepts and requirements.
Prior to joining Raytheon, Kurt served as the United States Air Force Chief of Safety, directing worldwide operational risk management and nuclear surety policy for over 690,000 Airmen. In that role, he reversed a 5-year rising mishap trend with a risk management strategy that decreased flight mishaps by 61% and on-duty mishaps by 67%, resulting in the two best years for occupational safety in a decade and the lowest aviation mishap rate in USAF history.
During his military career, “Nubes” served in a wide variety of leadership roles. While leading the largest US airbase in Iraq, and while under near-daily hostile fire, he maintained unbroken 24/7 combat air operations during the largest repositioning of USAF combat air forces since World War II. He was hand-picked by the USAF Chief of Staff as senior mentor for USAF Wing Commander Course, preparing scores of officers to lead large, diverse, matrixed organizations. He also served as professor of National Security Strategy at the National War College, teaching the art of grand strategy to a diverse student body of military, interagency and allied officials.
He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and the National War College, and has commanded a fighter squadron, a fighter group, and three wings. “Nubes” has over 4,000 hours in F-16, including 500 hours of combat time.
Kurt is a Chair on the Board of The Reveille Foundation, a nonprofit that provides career counseling and educational assistance to transitioning veterans. He, his wife of 38 years, and their two children and four grandchildren all live in the Phoenix West Valley, where they are focused on building a legacy of faith, family and fitness.
Kurt “Nubes” Neubauer
Senior Consultant
Major General USAF (ret.)
current work
Leadership Positions:
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Chair, Board of The Reveille Foundation
usaf leadership
ASSIGNMENTS
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Retired as a Major General (2015)
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Pilot, 430th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.; Instructor pilot, 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, South Korea; Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 311th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.; Flight commander, USAF Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.; assistant operations officer; later, Chief of Safety; later, Chief of Standardization and
Evaluation, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah; Assistant Chief of Flight Safety; later, Chief, F-22 Operational Requirements Branch, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.; operations officer, 4th Fighter Squadron; later, Commander, 34th Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah; Deputy Commander, 35th Operations Group, Misawa AB, Japan; Commander, 8th Operations Group, Kunsan AB, South Korea; Chief of Staff of the Air Force Chair, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.; Commander, 11th Wing, Bolling AFB, D.C.; Commander, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.; Commander, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Joint Base Balad, Iraq; Vice Commander, 7th Air Force, Air Forces Korea, and Chief of Staff, Air Component
Command, Osan AB, South Korea; Air Force Chief of Safety, Headquarters U.S Air Force, Washington, D.C., and Commander, Air Force Safety Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000, including 500 combat hours
Aircraft flown: F-16, U-2, CV-22B, AC-130W, B-52H, C-17A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf clover
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters