CMSgt Tim Barker is the Senior Enlisted Leader for the 913th Airlift Group, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. The group operates C-130J Super Hercules aircraft in a classic associate relationship with the 19th Airlift Wing and provides aircrews and support personnel for Air Mobility Command, Air Force Reserve Command, and expeditionary taskings. He is the senior enlisted advisor for the Citizen Airmen of Arkansas’ only Air Force Reserve unit. He advises the commander on all matters pertaining to health, morale, welfare, professional development, training, and effective management of over 500 Airmen. Chief Barker is also attached to the 68th Airlift Squadron as an Instructor Flight Engineer on the C-5M. Additionally, he is the President of the Air Force Reserve Command Career Enlisted Aviator Council. In this role he guides 15 council members in support of Air Force Reserve Command A3RB Aircrew Management and advocates for over 2,200 Career Enlisted Aviators across 14 weapon systems.
His maintenance duties ranged from being a Team Chief for warhead and gravity bomb maintenance, to managing nuclear ordnance shipments, and finally culminating with intercontinental ballistic missile test launches in California. Chief Barker volunteered for a special duty assignment as a Military Training Leader and was assigned to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. He was recognized for his continued process improvement efforts and was selected to work at the training group level. Chief Barker left active duty in September 2013 and joined Air Force Reserve Command to pursue his dream of becoming a Career Enlisted Aviator. During his time flying on the C-5, Chief Barker has provided support for numerous contingency operations, humanitarian relief efforts, large-scale training events, graduate formal flying training and led undergraduate formal flying training. Prior to joining the 913th Airlift Group, he was the Deputy Commandant of the Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.
EDUCATION
2003 Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2003 Nuclear Weapons Technician Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2007 Airman Leadership School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2008 Nuclear Weapons Orientation Course, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2008 Military Training Leader Course, Lackland AFB, Texas
2011 Associate in Applied Science, Munitions System Technology, CCAF, Montgomery, Ala.
2011 Associate in Applied Science, Education and Training Management, CCAF, Montgomery, Ala.
2013 Nuclear Weapons Craftsman Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2014 Aircrew Fundamentals and Basic Flight Engineer Course, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
2014 C-5A Flight Engineer Initial Qualification, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
2015 Associate in Applied Science, Aviation Operations, CCAF, Montgomery, Ala.
2017 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, by correspondence
2018 AETC Basic Instructor Course, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
2018 Associate in Applied Science, Instructor of Technology and Military Science, CCAF, Montgomery, Ala.
2018 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education I Course, by correspondence
2018 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, by correspondence
2018 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II Course, by correspondence
2019 AFRC Senior Noncommissioned Officer Leader Development Course, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
2019 Career Enlisted Aviator Senior Leadership Course, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
2020 Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 Chief Orientation Course, Robins AFB, Ga.
2023 Chief Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2003 – March 2003, Trainee, 324th Basic Military Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. March 2003 – June 2003, Student, SERE Specialist Indoctrination Course, 342d Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas
3. June 2003 – September 2003, Student, Nuclear Weapons Craftsman Course, 363 TRS, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. September 2003 – March 2006, Nuclear Weapons Technician, 896th Munitions Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
4. March 2006 – August 2008, Nuclear Ordnance Controlled Material Manager, 896 MUNS, Nellis AFB, Nev.
5. August 2008 – June 2010, Military Training Leader, 345 TRS, Lackland AFB, Texas
6. June 2010 – June 2011, Military Training Leader, 37th Training Support Squadron, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
7. June 2011 – August 2012, Military Training Leader, 344 TRS, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
8. August 2012 – September 2013, Nuclear Weapons Maintenance Team Chief, 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
9. September 2013 – September 2017, C-5A Flight Engineer, 68th Airlift Squadron, JBSA-Lackland, Texas (April 2017 – November 2017, Flight Chief, Development and Training Flight, 433d Airlift Wing, JBSA-Lackland, Texas)
10. September 2017 – November 2017, C-5M Instructor Flight Engineer, 68 AS, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
11. November 2017 – June 2019, C-5M Formal Training Unit Instructor Flight Engineer, 356 AS, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
12. July 2019 – September 2020, Superintendent, Career Enlisted Aviator Center of Excellence, 344 TRS/733 TRS, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
13. October 2020 – January 2022, Superintendent, CEA CoE, 344 TRS/340th Flying Training Group, JBSA-Randolph, Texas
14. February 2022 – October 2023, Deputy Commandant, CEA CoE, 344 TRS/340 FTG, JBSA-Randolph, Texas
15. October 2023 – Present, Senior Enlisted Leader, 913th Airlift Group, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Instructor Flight Engineer
Flight Hours: More than 1,400 and 60 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: C-5A, C-5B, C-5M
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with ‘N’ device and oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2005 Outstanding Team Member, Air Force Material Command Nuclear Staff Assistance Visit
2005 IG Outstanding Team Member, AFMC Nuclear Surety Inspection
2007 IG Outstanding Performer, AFMC Nuclear Staff Assistance Visit
2007 Leadership Award, Airman Leadership School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2007 Airman of the Year, 896th Munitions Squadron
2008 NCO of the Quarter, 896th Munitions Squadron
2008 AFMC Nuclear Professional of the Quarter (NCO)
2009 Outstanding Team Member, Air Education and Training Command Unit Compliance Inspection
2010 Outstanding Performer, 2d Air Force Combined Unit Inspection
2010 Lance P. Sijan Award Winner, 37th Training Group
2014 Distinguished Graduate, C-5A Flight Engineer Initial Qualification
2016 AFRC Career Enlisted Aviator Key Personnel List
2018 AFRC Career Enlisted Aviator Key Personnel List
2019 SNCO of the Year, 433d Airlift Wing
2020 AFRC Career Enlisted Aviator Key Personnel List
2021 SNCO of the Quarter, 340th Flying Training Group
2022 AFRC Career Enlisted Aviator Key Personnel List
2023 President, AFRC Career Enlisted Aviator Council
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman Basic January 28, 2003
Airman First Class March 14, 2003
Senior Airman July 14, 2005
Staff Sergeant February 1, 2008
Technical Sergeant August 1, 2015
Master Sergeant January 1, 2018
Senior Master Sergeant January 1, 2020
Chief Master Sergeant April 1, 2022
(Current as of November 2023)