Brig. Gen. Vincent B. Barker is a native of Crandon, WI. He is a former enlisted United States Marine, having served on active duty from 1981-84. He received his commission from the Army ROTC program at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point in 1987. He holds a B.S. Degree in Geography from UW-Stevens Point, an M.S. Degree in Management and Organizational Behavior from Silver Lake College in Manitowoc, WI, and an M.S. Degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, PA.
Prior to current his current assignment as the Deputy Commanding General of the 377th Theater Sustainment Command headquartered in New Orleans, LA, Brig. Gen. Barker commanded the 310th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) headquartered in Indianapolis, IN, from December 2015 to January 2018. Prior to his promotion to his current rank, Brig. Gen. Barker served as the Chief of Staff, 85th Army Reserve Support Command in Arlington Heights, IL. Before serving as Chief of Staff, Brig. Gen. Barker served as the Assistant Chief of Staff, Operations (G3). From March 2012 to March 2014, Brig. Gen. Barker commanded the Army Sustainment Command – Army Reserve Element, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, IL. He served as Assistant Chief of Staff, G4, 85th Support Command in 2011.
Prior to being promoted to Colonel, he served as the Executive Officer, 646th Regional Support Group, United States Army Reserve, in Madison, WI. In June 2010 he returned from a nine month deployment with HQ, 82nd Airborne Division, Bagram, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. From September 2006 to September 2009 he commanded the 757th Transportation Battalion (Railway), in Milwaukee, WI.
Other assignments since receiving his commission include: Company and Battalion Fire Support Officer, Battery Fire Direction Officer, Battalion Intelligence Officer, Battery Commander, Logistics Operations Officer, and Battalion Executive Officer. He mobilized in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from September 2003 to March 2004, serving as a Reserve Affairs Liaison Officer at HQ, U.S. 3rd Army/Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC), Camp Doha, Kuwait. He later mobilized again for two years serving at Ft. McCoy, WI, as the Senior Operations Officer, and later Chief of the Mobilizing Unit In-Processing Center. Brig. Gen. Barker is a 2012 graduate of the United States Army War College His military education also includes the Advanced Joint Primary Military Education Course, U.S. Army Command & General Staff College, the Combined Arms Services Staff School, Senior Transportation Officer Qualification Course, Support OperationsCourse, Field Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, and the Marine Corps Communication & Electronics School.
Brig. Gen. Barker’s awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal w/2 oak leaf clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal w/2 oak leaf clusters, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal w/oak leaf cluster, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal w/silver oak leaf cluster, National Defense Service Medal w/Service Star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal w/Bronze hourglass, “M” device, and “3” device, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon w/”3” device, the Navy-Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and the NATO (Afghanistan) Medal.
In 2016 Brig. Gen. Barker retired from his civilian career, having worked over 23 years as an Adjudicator and Adjudication Supervisor with the State of Wisconsin, Department of Workforce Development, Unemployment Insurance Division.