About Colonel Russ Barnes 

Colonel (R) Russ Barnes is Senior Business Advisor for Systro Consulting, an organization design firm specializing in business scaling.  He has more than 30 years’ experience drawn from military service, franchise ownership and consulting. Before his retirement, Colonel Russell C. Barnes was assigned as Chief, J5 Policy Division, Headquarters, USCENTCOM, Tampa, Florida.  His previous assignment was Deputy Chief, J2 Plans and Requirements Division, Headquarters USEUCOM, Stuttgart, Germany.

Education

Colonel Barnes graduated from Manhattan College, Riverdale, New York in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems.  He completed Squadron Officer School by correspondence in 1984 and attended the residence course in 1989.  He is a 1992 graduate of the USAF Weapons School, Bomber Division.  In 1995, Col Barnes completed Air Command and Staff College by seminar.  He earned a Master’s in Business Administration with an emphasis on aviation from Embry-Riddle University in 1996.  He completed Armed Forces Staff College in 1999 and Air War College by seminar in 2000. He was awarded a second masters degree in Strategic Studies from Air University, Air War College in 2003, where he won the Red River Valley Award for Best Strategy Paper.

Military Service

Colonel Barnes was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in May 1982 through the Reserve Officer Training Program.  He attended Undergraduate Navigator Training, Advanced Navigation Training, and Navigator-Bombardier Training at Mather AFB, California from November 1982 to November 1984.  In May 1984, after completing the water survival, land survival, and combat crew training schools, Colonel Barnes reported to the 23rd Bomb Squadron at Minot AFB, North Dakota.  There he participated in leading edge contingency bombing training programs as a navigator and radar navigator in the B-52H.  He later qualified in the B-52G while assigned to the 668th Bomb Squadron at Griffiss AFB, New York.  Between July 1988 and January 1994, he served as an Instructor Radar Navigator, Wing Standardization and Evaluation Flight Examiner, Training Flight Instructor, and Flight Commander.  In January 1991, Colonel Barnes deployed in support of Operation DESERT STORM, accumulating 168 combat hours on eleven missions.  Following a tour as Chief, Weapons and Tactics Branch, 416 Operational Support Squadron, he was reassigned to Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Virginia.  From January 1994 until June 1997, Colonel Barnes served as Chief, Tactics Section, Weapons and Tactics Branch, Directorate of Operations.  During this time, he was personally responsible for managing the Multi-Command Manual 3-1 Series of Tactical Employment Manuals, the HARPOON anti-ship missile program, the AGM-142 HAVE NAP guided missile program, the sea-mine program and both the Nuclear and Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile programs.  Colonel Barnes was assigned to USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Nebraska from June 1997 until July 2000.  There he served as Chief, B-2 Planning Team and Chief, Bomber Team.  Colonel Barnes was assigned to the Air Force Doctrine Center (AFDC) from July 2000 through July 2002 where he participated in the development, coordination, and publication of all AF basic and operational level doctrine; represented the AF in joint and multinational doctrine development forums; and advocated the doctrinally correct representation of aerospace power in exercises, wargames, models and simulations.  From July 2002 to June 2003 Colonel Barnes attended the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama.  From June 2003 to July 2005 he served as a Political-Military officer on the Joint Staff in the J5 Directorate with duty as Chief, Eastern Europe and Aegean Branch, Eastern Europe and Eurasia Division, Deputy Directorate for Politico-Military Affairs-Europe, NATO, Russia, Africa.

Colonel Barnes is a Master Navigator with over 3000 hours in T-37, T-43, B-52G and B-52H aircraft.  His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Air Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device and two oak leaf clusters, Combat Readiness Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Kuwaiti Liberation Medals for Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, the Expert Marksmanship Ribbon and the Air Force Unit Excellence Award.  He was promoted to Colonel on 1 September 2005.