Col. Barry E. Little is the Vice Commander, 20th Air Force, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. Twentieth Air Force is responsible for the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile force, organized into three operational missile wings, and the 377th Air Base Wing at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, which provides critical support to the nuclear operation and mission partners. As vice commander, he serves as the designated successor and principal advisor to the commander, Twentieth Air Force.
Col. Little was commissioned in 1998 through Officer Training School. His operational experience includes combat mission ready status with the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. He has commanded ICBM units at the squadron, deputy operations group and vice wing level, and deployed at the air expeditionary wing level in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. His staff positions focused on nuclear force structure planning, global integration and nuclear modernization at the Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Joint Staff and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He is also an Olmsted Scholar graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Nanjing University's Center for Chinese and American studies and speaks Mandarin Chinese. Prior to his current position, Col. Little was the Vice Commander of the 91st Missile Wing, Minot AFB, North Dakota.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, University of California, Davis
2003 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 Master of Science, International Relations - National Security Policy, Troy University, Troy, Ala.
2006 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2009 Olmsted Scholar - Certificate in Chinese Studies, Johns Hopkins University, SAIS - HNC, Nanjing, China
2011 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va. 2013 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2016 National Defense Fellow - Belfer Center, JFK School of Government, Harvard University, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1998–April 1999, Student, Undergraduate Space and Missile Training and Initial Qualification Training, 381st Training Group, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
2. April 1999–June 2003, Senior Evaluator Crew Commander, Commander Instructor, Deputy Evaluator,
91st Operations Group, Minot AFB, N.D.
3. June 2003–June 2006, Flight Commander, ICBM Test Management Officer, ICBM Test Operations Officer, 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
4. June 2006–June 2007, Student, Mandarin Basic Course, Defense Language Institute - East, Washington, D.C.
5. June 2007–July 2009, Olmsted Scholar, Air Force Institute of Technology - Civilian Institutions Program, Nanjing, China
6. August 2009–November 2011, Executive Officer to the Deputy Director, Nuclear Treaty Countermeasures Officer, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
7. November 2011–June 2013, Chief, Nuclear Planning Branch, Force Structure Planning, Plans, Policy and Strategy Division, (October 2012–April 2013, Director of Staff, 376 Air Expeditionary Wing, Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan) Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration Directorate, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Va.
8. July 2013–August 2015, Commander, 90th Operations Support Squadron, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
9. August 2015–June 2016, Deputy Commander, 90th Operations Group, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
10. July 2016–June 2017, National Defense Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Mass.
12. June 2017–July 2018, Branch Chief, Strategy and Planning, China Division, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2018–June 2019, Director, Nuclear Modernization and Nuclear Weapons Council Staff, Nuclear Matters, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
14. July 2019–July 2021, Vice Wing Commander, 91st Missile Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
15. July 2021–present, Vice Commander, 20th Air Force, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2009–November 2011, Executive Officer to the Deputy Director, Nuclear Treaty Countermeasures Officer, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va., as a major
2. June 2017–July 2018, Chief, Strategy and Planning Branch, China Division, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
3. July 2018–June 2019, Director, Nuclear Modernization and Nuclear Weapons Council Staff, Nuclear Matters, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with "N" device and three oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 12, 1998
First Lieutenant June 12, 2000
Captain June 12, 2002
Major March 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel Nov. 1, 2012
Colonel Feb. 1, 2019
(Current as of July 2021)