New chief of safety shares vision Published Aug. 22, 2013 By Air Force Safety Center Public Affairs KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M -- Maj. Gen. Kurt Neubauer, Air Force chief of safety, knows the Air Force mission is risky business. Maintaining a healthy safety ethos - in garrison and in combat - balances the risk required to fly, fight and win. "Our mission is paramount," Neubauer said, "and safety is the muscle mass that connects fly, fight and win together. Air Force safety professionals train and grow those muscles so commanders can execute the mission. "In combat, Airmen willingly assume risk to execute the mission; we are aggressive, not reckless. That must also hold true in garrison - in the air, on the ground, all the time. Commanders set the proper balance between effective operations and risk mitigation, on and off duty." Neubauer brings 11 years of command experience and three years of serving in the flight safety field. He most recently served as the 7th Air Force vice commander in Korea before taking over as chief of Air Force safety July 15. "After months of reduced activity due to sequestration, we must be mindful of the importance of fundamentals in regaining our proficiency. Unit commanders' presence, leadership, and clear communication of those fundamentals - such as Air Force policies, guidance, instructions, technical orders, tactics, techniques, and procedures - is vital," the general said. Neubauer is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours in the F-16, including over 500 combat hours. As the Air Force chief of safety, he's charged with development, execution and evaluation of all Air Force aviation, ground, weapons, space and system mishap prevention, and nuclear surety programs and policies. Although headquartered at the Pentagon, Neubauer directs the 150 safety professionals at the safety center here who conduct research to promote safety awareness and mishap prevention, oversee mishap investigations and manage, develop and conduct all Air Force safety and risk management courses.