Brigadier General Matthew Barker is the Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Commander, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. He is the principal advisor to the Deputy Commander on Reserve Component matters related to the Command’s diverse missions, including strategic deterrence; cyberspace operations; integrated missile defense; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; and global strike.
General Barker graduated from the George Washington University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in May 1992 as a Reserve Officer Training Corps Distinguished Graduate. He completed ICBM training in 1993, serving 192 alert tours as a Minuteman III launch officer. He was then selected for Air Battle Manager training and has been qualified as a combat ready Air Battle Manager since 1998, flying in support of Operations NORTHERN WATCH, SOUTHERN WATCH, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, and GUARDIAN SUPPORT. He has served on the Air Staff, the Joint Staff, and as Executive Officer to the Commander of United States Air Forces in Europe/Air Forces Africa. He transferred to the Texas Air National Guard in 2017. Prior to his current assignment, General Barker was the Commander, Joint Task Force LONE STAR, McAllen, Texas. In his civilian career he has served as a Federal Civil Servant at White Sands Missile Range and with the Space Development Agency.
EDUCATION
1992 BBA, Human Resources Management (cum laude), George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
1995 MS, Space Studies, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, N.D.
1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 United States Army Command and General Staff College, by correspondence
2006 Air Command and Staff College (Distinguished Graduate), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Air War College, by correspondence
2014 MS, National Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort McNair, D.C.
2018 Air National Guard Commander Development Course, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
2018 United States Northern Command Joint Task Force / Dual-Status Commander Course, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2019 CJCS Level IV Antiterrorism Executive Seminar, Washington, D.C.
2022 National Space Security Institute Space Executive Course, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2022 Senior Leader Orientation Course (SLOC), Joint Base Andrews, Md.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1992 - February 1993, Student, 4315th Combat Crew Training Squadron, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
2. February 1993 - February 1997, Minuteman III Deputy/Instructor Crew Commander, 447th Missile Squadron; and Senior Instructor Crew Commander, 321st Operations Support Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
3. February 1997 - January 1998, Student, Undergraduate Air Battle Manager Training, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
4. January 1998 - May 2001, E-3B/C Airborne Warning and Control System Air Weapons Officer, Air Surveillance Officer, and Chief, Sensor Tactics, 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
5. May 2001 - September 2002, EC-130E Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center Evaluator Battlestaff Operations Officer, and Chief, Standardization and Evaluation, 42d Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
6. September 2002 - June 2005, E-8C Joint STARS Instructor Senior Director, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, then Assistant Director of Operations, 128th Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
7. June 2005 - June 2006, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. June 2006 - May 2008, Branch Chief, C2ISR Capability Requirements Division, Headquarters USAF A-3/5, Washington, D.C.
9. May 2008 - June 2011, Director of Operations, then Commander, 81st Range Control Squadron; and Deputy Commander, 53d Weapons Evaluation Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
10. June 2011 - June 2012, Deputy Chief, Combat Operations Division, 603d Air Operations Center, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
11. June 2012 - June 2013, Executive Officer to the Commander, United States Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
12. June 2013 - July 2014, Student, The Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort McNair, D.C.
13. July 2014 - June 2017, Director, Joint Interoperability Division and Training Center, Joint Staff/J-7, Ft Bragg, N.C.
14. June 2017 - October 2018, Vice Wing Commander, 147th Attack Wing, Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, Texas
15. October 2018 - February 2021, Wing Commander, 147th Attack Wing, Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, Texas
16. February 2021 - January 2023, Chief of Staff, Austin, Texas Air National Guard, Camp Mabry, Texas (January 2023 - October 2023, Commander, Joint Task Force LONE STAR, McAllen, Texas)
17. November 2023 - Present, Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2014 - June 2017, Director, Joint Interoperability Division and Training Center, Joint Staff/J-7, Ft Bragg, N.C. as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Air Battle Manager
Flight hours: More than 2,300; including 548 Combat Hours
Aircraft flown: E-3B/C AWACS, EC-130E ABCCC, E-8C Joint STARS, RC-26B, E-6B
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal
Texas Outstanding Service Medal
Texas Medal of Merit
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1997 Air Force Space Command Crewmember Excellence Award
1997 Yukla Leadership Award, Undergraduate ABM Training, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
2001 Distinguished Graduate, EC-130E Qualification Training, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
2004 Distinguished Graduate & Leadership Award, E-8C Qualification Training, Robins AFB, Ga.
2011 Honor Graduate, Air Operations Center Initial Qualification Training, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2020 Air National Guard General & Mrs. Jerome F. O’Malley Award
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS
Military Officers Association of America, Life Member
Air Force Association, Life Member
National Guard Association of the United States, Life Member
National Guard Association of Texas, Life Member
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Life Member
Association of Air Force Missileers
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 8, 1992
First Lieutenant Aug. 4, 1994
Captain Aug. 4, 1996
Major Feb. 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 1, 2008
Colonel April 1, 2014
Brigadier General Feb. 1, 2021
(Current as of January 2024)