Barry A. Johnson

Barry Alan Johnson (b. November 5, 1962) is a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army who has served worldwide as a Public Affairs Officer and Infantryman. He is currently serving his third tour in Operation Iraqi Freedom with the Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq.

In 2005-6, Lt. Col. Johnson was director of the Combined Press Information Center (CPIC) in Baghdad, where he was responsible for all aspects of media activities involving the Multi-National Force with both the international and Iraqi press. He also served as a spokesman for the Force, dealing with the wide variety of security issues facing the Coalition each day.

During his first tour in Iraq from 2004-5, he served as the public affairs officer and spokesman for detainee operations following abuse allegations at Abu Ghraib prison. His other key assignments since becoming an Army public affairs officer in 1997 include NATO spokesman for military operations in Macedonia in 2001 during the disarmament Albanian rebels, spokesman for detention and interrogation activities at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 2003, and multiple assignments developing plans and policy in the Pentagon.

During 23 years of service in the Army, Lt. Col. Johnson worked in a variety of assignments throughout the world. Commissioned as an Infantry officer in 1984 from the University of Idaho, he initially served for two years in the National Guard before entering active duty in 1986. Since then, assignments included tours in Germany, Korea, the Balkans, Cuba and the Middle East, as well as various posts throughout the United States. Key positions in his early career included Infantry platoon leader and company commander, and instructing Army ROTC at Washington State University.

Lt. Col. Johnson has a bachelors degree in Business Administration from Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho and a masters degree in Communication from Washington State University.

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