Aaron Prupas is the founder and CEO of Brain Trust Solutions, LLC and Brain Trust Ventures, Inc in Colorado Springs. He is a Subject Matter Expert with Riverside Research, advising and assisting the US Space Force. He serves as an advisor and consultant for several national security consulting organizations and is on the board of advisors for several tech and energy startups and one Intelligence organization. He serves as an Advisor to the El Paso County Salvation Army and serves the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce as a member of the Military Affairs Council Executive Committee. He specializes in space, security, data solutions, artificial intelligence, and national security intelligence. He is a board member with multiple national security organizations and a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, AFA, and MOAA.
Aaron served in the United States Air Force for more than 32 years, retiring on 1 December 2022 in the grade of Major General. He has extensive executive policy and program management experience, including the opportunity to successfully lead, cross-functional teams at the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Aaron entered the Air Force in 1990 after commissioning from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He was a career intelligence officer and weapons instructor. He served in a variety of Air Force, Joint and Office of the Secretary of Defense positions, commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels. He served as the Deputy Director of Intelligence for NATO operations in Afghanistan and as the Director of Intelligence for the Air Force’s Air Combat Command as well as the Director of Intelligence for NORAD and USNORTHCOM. His combat deployments include operations Southern Watch, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom and Resolute Support.
Aaron’s final position in the Air Force was as the Director for Defense Intelligence (Warfighter Support) within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, Washington, D.C. In this capacity, he served as the principal staff Director within OSD responsible for developing policy, conducting oversight, synchronizing, managing and ensuring adequate resourcing in the areas of intelligence support to combatant commands and combat support agencies/National Reconnaissance Office; Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance; Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML known as Project Maven); Defense Intelligence Analysis; Foreign Partner Engagement, and Military Intelligence Disclosure to Foreign Partners.
Aaron’s academic credentials include: Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, RI; Master Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL; Master of Arts, Information Systems Management, Webster University, St. Louis, MO. Bachelor of Science, English, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO.