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Brigadier General
Douglas N. Barlow
Permanent Professor 2000–2015
Vice Dean of the Faculty 2006–2008
B.S., United States Air Force Academy
M.S., University of Washington
Ph.D., Arizona State University
Neal Barlow, the Academy’s 70th Permanent Professor, was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in 1956. He was a 1978 Distinguished Graduate from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He entered undergraduate pilot training at Williams AFB, AZ, where he was a Distinguished Graduate. In 1980 he completed T-38 Instructor Pilot training as the Top Graduate at Randolph AFB, TX, and was assigned as a T-38 Instructor Pilot at Williams AFB from 1980 to 1983. He attended Squadron Officer School at Maxwell AFB, AL, in 1982, where he was recognized as an Outstanding Contributor and for Performance and Speaking Excellence. In 1983 Neal entered the University of Washington, Seattle, as an Order of Daedalian Fellow, and earned his Master’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1984. In 1985 he returned to the Academy as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aeronautics. From 1988 to 1990 he served as an Instructional Program Developer in the 3305th School Squadron, HQ Air Training Command, Randolph AFB. Remaining at Randolph for an additional year, he served as a T-38 Command Flight Examiner. In 1991 he began PhD studies in Aerospace Engineering at Arizona State University, Tempe, which he completed in 1994. Returning to the Academy, he earned academic promotion to Associate Professor and served as Director of Research among other duties in the Department of Aeronautics. From 1997 to 1998 Neal was the Commander, 4417th Support Squadron and Site Commander, Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait. Again returning to USAFA in 1998, he served as the Commander, 94th Flying Training Squadron before becoming the Deputy Commander of USAFA’s 34th Operations Group. In his 24 years of instructor experience he served at every level of undergraduate flight training. In 2000 Neal was appointed Permanent Professor and Head of the Department of Aeronautics. He served as the Officer Representative for the Academy’s football team from 2009 until 2013. In 2004 he was deployed to Iraq and served as the “Mayor of the Green Zone” while assigned as the Multi-National Force’s Commander, Joint Area Support Group, Baghdad. Returning in 2005 to again head the Aeronautics Department, Neal became the Vice Dean of the Faculty from 2006 until 2008, when he returned to his former position. He had the additional duty of Chair of the Engineering Division, 2008–2013. During 2013–2014, he served as the Interim Chief Scientist for AF Space and Cyber Command, Peterson AFB, CO. Returning to USAFA one final time, Neal served as the Associate Dean for the Core Curriculum until his promotion to brigadier general and retirement in 2015.
Upon his retirement, Neal became Professor of Engineering and the Dean, College of Applied Sciences, Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, AR, where he served until 2017. He was a Vice President and then Director-at-Large for The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2009–2016, and currently is an ABET Program Evaluator and Commissioner. Neal is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.