Mr. Kirk A. Phillips
Director, Air Force Office of Energy Assurance
Kirk A. Phillips is the Director, Air Force Office of Energy Assurance (AF OEA). AF OEA serves as the integrator of energy and water resilience efforts by ensuring projects align with installation needs and with the three goals of the Department of the Air Force (DAF) Installation Energy Strategic Plan — identify enabling system vulnerabilities, improve resilience planning, and ensure resilience results. As such, AF OEA connects DAF enterprise and installation stakeholders with energy and water resilience partners, emerging technologies, and industry best practices.
Prior to his current position, Mr. Phillips was the Health Safety and Environmental Practice Leader and Vice President at LJB Inc. and worked as a thought leader with the American Industrial Hygiene Association on Total Exposure Health. As the Practice Leader of HS&E, he provided comprehensive health, safety and environmental services to all segments of industry across the US and Internationally. In 2018, Mr. Phillips retired as a Colonel from the Air Force after serving as the Biomedical Science Corps Associate Chief for Bioenvironmental Engineering in the Office of the Air Force Surgeon General. In this capacity, he oversaw development and execution of Air Force occupational and environmental health policies and development of the career field’s 362 officers and 960 enlisted members. In 2014, Mr. Phillips developed the Total Exposure Health as a strategic initiative to institutionalize primary prevention in work, environmental and lifestyle exposures. Prior to his current assignment, Mr. Phillips was the Director of Policy and Programs for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health, Pentagon, Washington DC.
Mr. Phillips entered the Air Force from a four-year AF ROTC scholarship in 1985. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and his master’s degree in engineering and environmental management, where he was a distinguished graduate. Mr. Phillips has held a broad range of leadership positions throughout the Air Force. Initially serving as Chief and Flight Commander at three operational bases for a combined period of 11 years, he also completed a 12-month fellowship at the Air Force Medical Operations Agency (AFMOA). Mr. Phillips served as a staff officer at a major command and Air Staff in the AF Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, the AF Surgeon General, and the Air Force Medical Support Agency offices. He deployed to Qatar in support of operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, and Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. He served a tour at the Air National Guard Readiness Center, where he oversaw the occupational health program for 93 ANG bases and 242 units. Mr. Phillips led his career field as Deputy in the Bioenvironmental Engineering Division at AFMOA and he was the Commander, 47th Medical Support Squadron, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.
Education
1990 Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, University of Missouri, Rolla, Missouri
1993 Master of Science in Engineering & Environmental Mgmt, AF Institute of Tech., WPAFB, OH
1996 Squadron Officer’s School (in residence), 1 Jan
2000 Fellow, Occupational & Environmental Health, AF Medical Operations Agency, Wash, DC
2002 Air Command and Staff College (by seminar), 1 Sep
2008 Air War College (by correspondence), 1 Feb
Assignments
October 1989 – April 1992, Chief, Bioenvironmental Engineering Services, USAF Clinic, Brooks, Texas, Joint Military Medical Command, Systems Command and AETC
April 1992 – September 1993, Graduate Student, Air Force institute of Technology, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, AETC
September 1993 – June 1996, Assistant Chief, Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight, 18th Medical Group, Kadena Air Base, Japan, PACAF
June 1996 – May 2000, Flight Commander, Bioenvironmental Engineering, 509th Medical Group, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, ACC
May 2000 – May 2001, Fellow, Occupational and Environmental Health, Air Force Medical Operations Agency, Bolling Air Force Base, District of Columbia, HAF
May 2001 – May 2003, Environmental, Safety and Health Policy Officer for Ranges and Airspace, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations (A3/5), Headquarters US Air Force, Pentagon, District of Columbia
May 2003 – May 2006, National Guard Bureau Command Bioenvironmental Engineer, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, ANG
May 2006 – May 2007, Chief, Environmental Safety and Occupational Health, Air Force Medical Operations Agency, Bolling AFB, DC, HAF
May 2007 – June 2009, Chief, Bioenvironmental Engineering Force Development, Air Force Medical Support Agency, Bolling AFB, DC, HAF
June 2009 – Jun 2011, Commander, 47th Medical Support Squadron, Laughlin AFB, TX
Jun 2011 – Apr 2014, Director, Plans and Policy, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Installations, Environment & Logistics), Pentagon, Washington DC
Apr 14 to Feb 18, BSC Associate Chief for Bioenvironmental Engineering, Office of the Air Force Surgeon General, Pentagon, Washington DC
Major Awards and Decorations
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Publications
“A Decision Support Model Using Life Cycle Cost Analysis to Select Cost Effective Alternatives for Hazardous Materials,” Air Force Institute of Technology, 1993
“Total Exposure Health: An Introduction,” Taylor and Francis, 2020
Effective Dates of Promotion [Military only]
Second Lieutenant 19 Sept 1989
First Lieutenant 19 Sept 1991
Captain 19 Sept 1993
Major 1 Apr 2001
Lieutenant Colonel 1 Oct 2006
Colonel 1 Nov 2013
Deputy Director, Air Force Office of Energy Assurance
Lt Col Rachael L. Nussbaum is the Deputy Director, Air Force Office of Energy Assurance, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Tyndall, Florida. In this role she supports the Director in taking all necessary action to ensure the various worldwide missions of the US Air Force are not interrupted by loss of power or water caused by natural or adversary action. This is accomplished via management of a complex portfolio including public-private partnerships, MILCON, and creative financing to enact a breadth of activities including physical hardening, modernizing, reducing demand, and providing on-base generation and storage.
Lt Col Nussbaum is a 2005 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and holds two Master's degrees. She has a breadth of experience in Joint and Air Force Civil Engineering. Her command tour was the 821st Support Squadron, Thule where she led active-duty military, US and Danish civilians and contractors to provide a widely varied group of activities including the only clinic in hundreds of miles, the northernmost deepwater seaport and military airport in the world, the weather office, the television and radio station, two power plants, and the hotel. She is a two-time EOD Flight Commander and led her second flight to establish the often imitated and still ongoing Llama Fury exercise series. Her staff tours include Program Element Monitor for FO, FSRM, UAH, BRAC and Environmental programs, USFK Engineer Plans and Operations, and Joint Infrastructure and Logistics Integrator at Joint Region Marianas. Her deployments include three to locations in the Gulf States, and one to Hungary. Lastly, Lt Col Nussbaum has been published in the CE Weekly, the Air and Space Power Journal, and the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs.
Education
2005 Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
2005 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2006 Civil Engineer Basic Course, Wright Patterson AFB, OH
2009 Master of Arts in Emergency and Disaster Management, American Military University, Charles Town, WV
2009 Squadron Officer School (Corr), Maxwell AFB, AL
2011 Navy School of Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Eglin AFB, FL
2012 EOD Flight Commander’s Course, Wright Patterson AFB, OH
2012 Air University Leadership Development Program, Flight Commander Course (Corr), Maxwell AFB, AL
2013 Undergrad Certificate in EOD, American Military University, Charles Town, WV
2014 Squadron Officer School (In Res), Maxwell AFB, AL
2015 Air Command and Staff College (Corr), Maxwell AFB, AL
2016 Master of Arts with Merit in International Relations and World Order, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
2018 Civil Engineer Commander/Deputy Course, Wright Patterson AFB, OH
2019 Defense Readiness Reporting Certification, JBPHH, HI
2022 Professional Engineer, Guam
2022 Joint Engineer Operations Course, JBPHH, HI
2023 Air War College (Corr), Maxwell AFB, AL
Assignments
1. Jun 2005-Jun 2006, Civil Engineer, Yokota AB, Japan
2. Jun 2006-Sep 2007, Maintenance Engineer, Yokota AB, Japan
3. Sep 2007-Sep 2008, Asset Management Flight Commander, Kunsan AB, Korea4. Sep 2008-Jun 2009, EOD Student, Eglin AFB, FL.
5. Jun 2009-Sep 2010, Chief of Programming, Lajes AB, Portugal
6. Sep 2010-Jul 2011, EOD Student, Eglin AFB, FL.
7. Jul 2011-Jul 2013, EOD Flight Commander, RAF Lakenheath, England
8. Jul 2013-Oct 2015, EOD Flight Commander, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC
9. Oct 2015-Jul 2018, Program Element Monitor, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, JBSA, TX
10. Jul 2018-Jul 2019, Commander, 821 Support Squadron, Thule AB, Greenland
11. Jul 2019-Jul 2021, USFK Engineer Plans and Operations Officer, USAG Humphreys, ROK
12. Jul 2021-Jul 2024, Joint Infrastructure and Logistics Integrator, Joint Region Marianas, Guam
13. Jul 2024-present, Deputy Director, Air Force Office of Energy Assurance, Tyndall AFB, FL
Major Awards and Decorations
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
Effective Dates of Promotion
Second Lieutenant Jun 1, 2005
First Lieutenant Jun 1, 2007
Captain Jun 1, 2009
Major Oct 1, 2014
Lt Col, Jun 1, 2024
Current as of Aug 7, 2024