Maj. Gen. Curtis R. Bass is the Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The USAFWC is organized under Air Combat Command into five wings and two named units with more than 13,000 military and civilian personnel serving in the 57th Wing, 53rd Wing, 99th Air Base Wing, 505th Command and Control Wing, 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, the Nevada Test and Training Range, and the Air Force Joint Test Program Office. The USAFWC conducts operational testing and tactics development programs, as well as advanced training schools, exercises and venues. The center develops innovative leaders and provides Airmen with proven and tested technology, the most current tactics, academic training and opportunities to practice integrated force employment.
Prior to his current assignment, Maj. Gen. Bass served as the Senior Executive Officer to the 22nd Air Force Chief of Staff. He performed duties as the Chief’s principal military advisor and coordination authority across the Department of the Air Force, military services, Joint Staff, Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. government, industry, and with allies/partner nations around the world.
Maj. Gen. Bass commanded the E-8C JSTARS Combat Flying Squadron at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar; the 609th Air Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar and the 461st Air Control Wing at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. He also previously served as the Air Forces Central/A3 Forward, and as an Air Force Fellow, and member of the Rockefeller Studies Program (Think Tank) as a Military Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City, New York.
Maj. Gen. Bass is a Master Air Battle Manager with more than 2,600 hours in the E-3 AWACS and E-8C Joint STARS command and control aircraft. He has commanded at the squadron, group, and wing levels. He has served on the personal staff of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Air Force Chief of Staff, the Commander of Air Forces Central Command, and the North American Aerospace Defense Command Operations staff. Maj. Gen. Bass received his commission in the U.S. Air Force from Mississippi State University Air Force ROTC in 1995.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Arts International Law-International Relations, Mississippi State University, Starkville
2001 Graduate U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Master of National Security and Strategic Studies, U.S. Naval War College, Newport NAS, R.I.
2018 Leading Strategically Executive Course, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2021 SLOC-21A, Senior Leader Orientation Course, Smart Center, Andrews AFB, Md.
2021 Enterprise Perspectives Seminar, Alan L. Freed Assoc, Alexandria, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1995–October 1995, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Science, AFROTC Det 425, Mississippi State University, Starkville
2. October 1995–March 1996, Student, Aviation Preflight Indoctrination, NAS Pensacola, Fla.
3. Mar 1996–July 1996, Student, Undergraduate Controller Training, 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
4. July 1996–July 1997, Instructor/Evaluator Weapons Director & Senior Director, 621st Air Control Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
5. September 1997–August 2000, E-3 Weapons Director, Instructor Senior Director, Deputy Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 964 AACS, Tinker AFB, Okla.
6. August 2000–July 2001, Instructor Senior Director, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
7. August 2001–February 2002, Weapons Officer, Chief of Tactics, 962nd AACS, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
8. February 2002–June 2003, Wing Tactics Officer, 3rd Wing/3rd Operations Group, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
9. June 2003–February 2004, Evaluator Senior Director, Flight Commander, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
10. February 2004–April 2005, Weapons School Instructor, E-3 Evaluator Senior Director, 8 WPS, Nellis AFB, Nev.
11. April 2005–June 2006, Chief-Weapons School Academics, Editor, Weapons Review Magazine, U.S. Air Force Weapons School(Gp), Nellis AFB, Nev.
12. June 2006–June 2007, Executive Officer to the Commander, USAF Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nevada
13. August 2007–June 2008, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14. June 2008–June 2009, Chief-Programs Branch, HQ AF Test and Evaluation, Policy and Programs Division, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. June 2009–April 2010, Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. April 2010–June 2011, Director of Operations, 16 ACCS, Robins AFB, Ga.
17. July 2011–July 2012, Commander, 7 EACCS, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
18. July 2012–June 2013, SDE Student, U.S. Naval War College, Newport NAS, R.I.
19. July 2013–October 2013, Branch Chief, C2 Sys Integration Branch/C2 Sys Division, NORAD, Peterson AFB,Colo.
20. November 2013–April 2015, Military Deputy, C2 Sys Division, NORAD, Peterson AFB, Colo.
21. May 2015–June 2016, Chief, C2 Operations Divisions, NORAD, Peterson AFB, Colo.
22. July 2016–June 2017, AFCENT A3, Commander, 609th Air Operations Center, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
23. July 2017–July 2019, Commander, 461 Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, Ga.
24. July 2019–May 2020, AF Fellow/Military Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, New York City, N.Y.
25. June 2020–May 2022, Senior Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
26. June 2022 – Present, Vice Commander, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nev.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: master air battle manager
Flight Hours: over 2,600
Aircraft Flown: E-3B/C AWACS, E-8C JSTARS
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star
Medal Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2003 Pacific Air Forces Air Battle Manager of the Year
(Current as of June 2022)