Retired General William McCasland Is Missing. Some Draw Parallels to Nancy Guthrie
Maj. Gen. William McCasland was the Commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. In that position, he 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," his U.S. Air Force bio says.
That's a powerful position and, now, McCasland has mysteriously disappeared. That's caused some people on social media to draw parallels to the Nancy Guthrie abduction. As with Guthrie, 84, McCasland, 68, is an elderly person with some prominence and medical issues who suddenly disappeared in the American Southwest. Beyond that, though, there is no indication of any connection, and authorities have not said there is; unlike Guthrie, authorities have not said that McCasland, of New Mexico, was abducted, and he's not getting a lot of news coverage. They've issued a silver alert for him.
Still, as with Guthrie, the disappearance of William Neil McCasland is an odd case, largely due to his background. It's not every day that a retired general goes missing. Here's what's known about McCasland's disappearance.
Major Gen. William Neil McCasland Was Last Seen on Friday Morning, February 27
U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury published news of McCasland's disappearance on X late on March 1.
"Bernalillo County has issued a Silver Alert for retired Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, a longtime leader at Kirtland and former commander of the Phillips Research Site and Air Force Research Laboratory," she wrote.
Sheriff's release
"He was last seen Friday morning near Quail Run Court NE, and due to medical concerns, authorities are asking for our community’s help. If you have any information, please contact the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Missing Persons Unit at 505-468-7070 or text BCSO to 847411." It's not clear what those medical concerns are. Bernalillo County is in New Mexico.
The Air Base Wing at Kirtland Says It Is 'Coordinating Closely With Local Authorities' Relating to the Missing General
The Air Force released a statement on the retired general's disappearance.
"We are coordinating closely with local authorities and defer all updates regarding the search efforts to the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office," said Col. Justin Secrest, base commander of the 377th Air Base Wing at Kirtland, in a statement to the Albuquerque Journal."Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time."
The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office posted a missing person's photo of McCasland on Facebook, writing, "Due to his medical issues, law enforcement is concerned for his safety." He was last seen at 11 a.m. His clothing and direction of travel were unknown.
Who Is Retired General William McCasland?
McCasland was also responsible "for a global workforce of approximately 10,800 people in the laboratory's component technology directorates, 711th Human Performance Wing and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research," his Air Force bio says.
"General McCasland was commissioned in 1979 after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in astronautical engineering. He has served in a wide variety of space research, acquisition and operations roles within the Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office," it adds.
"He commanded the Phillips site of Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland AFB, N.M., and served as Vice Commander of the Ogden Air Logistics Center and the Space and Missile Systems Center. He previously served at the Pentagon, first as the Director, Space Acquisition, in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, and then as Director of Special Programs, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics," the bio continues.
"General McCasland holds a doctorate degree in astronautical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he studied under a John and Fannie Hertz Foundation fellowship."