HUNTSVILLE, AL – BlueHalo announced yesterday that retired United States Army Lieutenant General L. Neil Thurgood has joined the company’s Board of Advisors.

In this role, Thurgood will advise various strategic initiatives to advance BlueHalo’s position as the new alternative prime in the defense and national security market.

Throughout over 37 years of distinguished military service, Thurgood has strengthened industry partnerships and fostered collaboration and innovation, leading to the rapid development of strategic capabilities and advancing Army modernization priorities.

Most recently, Thurgood served as the Director for Hypersonics, Directed Energy, Space and Rapid Acquisition and the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.

His efforts to rapidly develop, prototype, test, and field technologies have been integral to getting mission-critical capabilities into the hands of warfighters.

“Neil Thurgood has devoted his career to maintaining our Nation’s technological superiority through innovation and delivering soldier-centered solutions to our warfighters,” said BlueHalo Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Moneymaker.

In a recent public statement, Thurgood explained how his most recent appointment fits with his personal and professional goals.

“I have spent my career focused on providing soldiers the tools and resources they need to complete their mission successfully and return home safely. Serving in a new capacity, I still wake up every day with that same desire to support our soldiers,” said Thurgood.

“That’s why I’m thankful for this opportunity to join BlueHalo. With an impressive suite of technology, an incredibly talented team of innovators, and a mission-focused drive that permeates the culture. BlueHalo is developing next-generation capabilities to meet the complex challenges of today and into the future. I’m excited to be a part of this work.”

Thurgood enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1983 and was commissioned as an Aviation Branch Officer in 1986. He served in multiple company grade and battalion aviation positions in both the U.S. and overseas, including combat deployments in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq.

Prior to his role with RCCTO, Thurgood served as the Director for Test for the Missile Defense Agency at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, Deputy Commanding General in the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, Deputy Director of Acquisition and Systems Management for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army in Washington, D.C., and Program Executive Officer for Missiles and Space at Redstone Arsenal.

LTG(ret) Thurgood holds an undergraduate degree in Business from the University of Utah; a master’s degree in Systems Acquisition Management from the Naval Postgraduate School; a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the Air University, Air War College; and a doctorate in Strategic Planning and Organizational Leadership from the University of Sarasota, as well as several professional certifications.