Lt Col John R. Barnett, an officer in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) and also an Air Force Regional Affairs Strategist (RAS), was a 2015-16 visiting military fellow at The Washington Institute.
Prior to becoming a squadron commander in 2013, Colonel Barnett served in the United States Northern Command’s Intelligence Directorate at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. During this tour, he also served in Mexico City as a liaison to Mexican military counterparts, helping promote bilateral efforts against transnational criminal organizations. Having entered the Air Force in 1995, he has since conducted or supervised numerous criminal, fraud, and counterintelligence investigations and operations. He has served in a variety of command, staff, and liaison positions, including in Afghanistan, Turkey, and England. Colonel Barnett holds master’s degrees in criminal justice (University of Southern Mississippi) and national security affairs (Naval Postgraduate School), as well as a bachelor’s degree in business management from Pennsylvania State University.
Education
MS, national security affairs, Naval Postgraduate School; MA, criminal justice, University of Southern Mississippi; BS, business management, Pennsylvania State University
