Directors' Lunch with Lieutenant General David Barno

About

Before his retirement from the United States Army, in October 2003, Gen. Barno was deployed to Afghanistan, commanding over 20,000 U.S. and Coalition Forces in Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. For 19 months he was responsible for the U.S. Central Command coordinating all regional efforts in Afghanistan, most of Pakistan and the southern parts of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. His duties involved close coordination with the United States Department of State, the Government of Afghanistan, the United Nations, NATO International Security Assistance Force and the senior military leaders of many surrounding nations.Prior to his deployment in Afghanistan, and after serving as Commanding General of the United States Army Training Center at Fort Jackson, Gen. Barno was sent to Hungary in 2003 as the Commanding General of Task Force Warrior with the mission to train the free Iraqi forces in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In June of 2000, he became the Deputy Director of Operations for the United States Pacific Command. Before his selection as Brigadier General in 2001, he was assigned as the Assistant Division Commander (Operations) of the 25th Infantry Division (Light) at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.Gen. Barno served in combat as a Ranger Battalion Operations officer in Panama during Operation Just Cause (1989) and as a Ranger Company Commander in Grenada during Operation Urgent Fury (1983). Gen. Barno commanded a parachute Infantry Battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division and later commanded the 2nd Ranger Battalion, completing his third tour with the 75th Ranger Regiment. Upon completion of brigade command at Fort Polk, Louisiana, he directed the Joint Task Force training program at what is now the United States Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia.Gen. Barno has served in a variety of command and staff positions in the continental United States and around the world, participating in deployments to Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Germany, Grenada, Panama, New Zealand, Honduras, and Hungary. Gen. Barno?s many awards and decorations include the Combat Infantryman?s Badge, the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal (three awards), the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, the Department of State Meritorious Honor Award, the Army Commendation and Achievement Medals and several campaign and unit awards for combat actions. He has also been awarded the Master Parachutist Badge with Combat Star, Pathfinder Badge, the Ranger Tab, and the German parachutist badge. Gen. Barno was commissioned as an Infantry Officer from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He also holds a Master of Arts Degree in National Security Studies from Georgetown University and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College as well as the U.S. Army War College