A retired U.S. general who led Kirtland Air Force Base’s Phillips Research Site and Air Force Research Laboratory in New Mexico is missing, police said.
Retired Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland was last seen Feb. 27 at approximately 11:00 a.m. in the area of Quail Run Court NE, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) said in a post shared on X. It is unknown what McCasland was wearing or in which direction he was traveling at the time of his disappearance.
McCasland is described as a white male with white hair and blue eyes who is 5’11” and 160 pounds, according to the post. The BCSO said law enforcement is concerned for the 68-year-old’s safety because he has medical issues. Specific details about McCasland’s medical issues have not been disclosed.
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office is looking for assistance from the public in looking for 68-year-old William Neil McCasland. Last seen on 02/27/2026 at approximately 11:00 am in the area of Quail Run Ct NE. Unknown clothing description and unknown direction of travel.… pic.twitter.com/ZHv1idEDyv
— BCSO (Sheriff) NM (@BCSONM) February 28, 2026
New Mexico Search and Rescue was assisting with the investigation into McCasland’s disappearance Sunday, BCSO spokeswoman Deanna Aragon said, according to the Albuquerque Journal. In addition to serving as the former commander of Kirtland Air Force Base’s Phillips Research Site and Air Force Research Laboratory, McCasland was a Kirtland Partnership Committee board member. (RELATED: Inside Fight To Honor America’s Fallen In Desert Storm)
In a statement shared with the Albuquerque Journal, Col. Justin Secrest, base commander of the 377th Air Base Wing at Kirtland said, “We are coordinating closely with local authorities and defer all updates regarding the search efforts to the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office.”
“Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time,” Secrest continued.
McCasland was commissioned in 1979 after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in astronautical engineering, according to his official biography on the U.S. Air Force’s website. He obtained advanced degrees in aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1980 and 1988, respectively.
In his role at the Air Force Laboratory, McCasland was responsible for “managing the Air Force’s $2.2 billion science and technology program as well as additional customer funded research and development of $2.2 billion,” the biography indicates. Additionally, he was responsible for a global workforce of 10,800 people in the laboratory’s component technology directorates, 711th Human Performance Wing and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.
McCasland has maintained 16 assignments and obtained various awards, including the Distinguished Service Medal.
Anyone who has information about McCasland should contact the BSCO or its Missing Persons Unit, according to the police department.
The Daily Caller contacted a spokesperson for the BCSO, but has not heard back as of publication.