CAG
Capt. Matthew Barr
Capt. Matthew Barr, a native of Ennis, Montana, graduated from the University of Montana with a bachelor of arts degree in Political Science in 1996. He received his commission upon completion of Officer Candidate School in 1996 and was designated a naval aviator in 1998.
Barr’s first fleet service was piloting the SH-60B with Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 48, where he made a Mediterranean Sea deployment on USS Anzio (CG-68), and an Arabian Gulf deployment on USS Hue City (CG-66) as the detachment maintenance officer.
Barr’s next tour of duty was as a flight instructor with HSL-40, where he served as schedules officer, assistant operations officer, Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) officer, and concluded his tour as the safety department head. While serving with HSL-40, he earned Junior Officer of the year for 2003 and Pilot of the Year for 2004.
Barr’s next assignment was in USS Boxer (LHD-4), where he deployed in support of international military exercises in 2005 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006. During this tour, he served as hangar officer, flight deck officer, aircraft handler and the assistant air officer (mini boss) and qualified as command duty officer and officer of the deck underway.
Barr reported to HSL-42 for his department head tour. After serving as quality assurance officer, he served as Detachment 4 officer in charge on USS Boone (FFG-28), completing a counter narcotics/terrorism deployment to the Caribbean Sea and East Pacific Ocean. Upon his return, he served as squadron maintenance officer. In July 2009, he reported to the Naval War College, Newport, RI, where he completed a master of arts in National Security and Strategic Studies, earning full JPME credit.
In June 2010, Barr reported to the Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike, USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Nebraska as a non-kinetic and STO planner in the J5 Plans and integration directorate. Upon completion of this tour, he earned the joint qualified officer designation.
In November 2012, Barr reported to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 41 as the Executive Officer. He received his initial MH-60R training and qualified as a FRS Instructor Pilot while onboard HSM-41. In June 2014, he reported to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 78 as the executive officer and assumed command in July 2015 as the fourth commanding officer. The “Bluehawks” earned the Golden Wrench for maintenance excellence and deployed with CVW-2 on the USS George Washington (CVN-73) for Southern Seas 2015.
Barr reported to the OPNAV Staff, N81 in the Pentagon, where he served as the OPNAV studies coordinator and assessments integration action officer. During his training track leading to CVW Command, he had the privilege to serve as the Chief of Staff of the Navy Warfighting Development Command in Norfolk, VA.
Barr reported to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 in March 2019 as the deputy commander.
Barr has accumulated over 3000 flight hours in the H-60 and has earned various personal and unit awards.