On August 31 the Atlantic Council hosted Major General Mark Barrett, USAF, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Policy at Allied Command Transformation (ACT), for a Strategic Advisors Group strategy session.
The disestablishment of U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) would have serious implications for ACT and the future of NATO force transformation, but could also provide an opportunity for ACT to expand its collaboration with the U.S. defense establishment, as well as change its relations with Allied Command Operations and NATO HQ.
In a discussion moderated by Damon Wilson, Atlantic Council Vice President and Director of the Program on International Security, participants counseled General Barrett on the value of a proactive ACT agenda defined in advance of the Lisbon Summit. Other themes included historical catalysts of Alliance transformation, opportunities to nurture partnerships across NATO’s strategic commands, and ACT’s tools to support the Comprehensive Approach.
This strategy session builds on previous ACT-Atlantic Council events, including a July conference on NATO in the global commons and a Commanders Series speech by General Abrial in March.
About Major General Mark Barrett:
Maj. Gen. Mark A. Barrett is Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategic Plans and Policy, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Allied Command Transformation, Norfolk, Va. He is responsible for supporting the development of emerging, and the revision of current, NATO strategic-level concepts by promoting innovation through the implementation of the strategic issues program of work.
General Barrett was commissioned in 1979 through the ROTC program at North Carolina State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering. His commands include the 493rd Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England; the 325th Operations Group, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.; and the 1st Fighter Wing, Langley AFB, Va. General Barrett has served as an operations officer on the Joint Staff and executive officer to the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff. He has also served as Chief of the Combat Forces and Program Integration divisions, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Air Combat Command Inspector General.
General Barrett is a command pilot with more than 4,500 flying hours in the F-15C/D and the F-22, including more than 300 hours of combat time in Southwest Asia.