Barnes, 34, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington in 2011. Following graduation, he attended flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama where he successfully completed training to become an UH-60L Blackhawk pilot.
After flight school Barnes was assigned to 2-2 Assault Helicopter Battalion in Korea where he excelled as a platoon leader and pilot in command. In 2015 following his tour in Korea and completion of the Aviation Captain’s Career Course, Barnes was favorably assessed for the 160th SOAR (Airborne).
In 2016, Barnes was assigned as an MH-60M pilot in Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 160th SOAR (Airborne), where he served as a platoon leader and operations officer.
In 2020, he resigned his commission and became a warrant officer. As an instructor pilot and fully mission-qualified pilot, Barnes significantly impacted the training aviators within the formation, according to a USASOC press release.
While assigned to 160th SOAR (Airborne), Barnes deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, deployed multiple times to Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, and supported numerous no-notice deployments and exercises worldwide in support of national security objectives.
Barnes graduated from the UH-60 Aviator Qualification Course; Aviator Basic Officer Leader Course, Aviation Captain’s Career Course, Officer Combat Skills (Green Platoon), Combatives Level 1, MH-60M Pilot Basic Mission Course, UH-60 A/L Instructor Pilot Course, Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape School, and the MH-60 Flight Instructor Pilot Course.
Barnes’s awards and decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor device, Air Medal with Combat device, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, the Senior Army Aviator Badge and Air Assault Badge.
