.png)
INSTRUCTORS
senior army instructor
Colonel (RET.) Leslie Barnett
Colonel(R) Les A. Barnett was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1994 in
the Air Defense Artillery (ADA) after graduating from Tennessee
Technological University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Business
Administration – Accounting. He later earned a Master of Business
Administration and a Master of Public Administration from Syracuse
University.
COL(R) Barnett’s past assignments include: Platoon Leader and Executive Officer, 2-44th ADA
Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (AASLT); Task Force Platoon Leader, A/2-44th ADA, forward
Al Jabber Air Base, Kuwait – Operation Southern Watch; Commander, D/1-44th ADA Battery,
4th Infantry Division; Air Defense Team Chief, 2/409th Cavalry Brigade in support of the 278th
Armored Cavalry Regiment.
His Financial Management assignments include: Division Deputy Comptroller, 4th Infantry
Division, Ft. Hood, TX; Balkans Crisis Response Operations Budget Officer, Joint Forces
Command – Naples (NATO), Naples, Italy; Communications Information Systems (CIS) Budget
Officer Joint Warfare Centre (NATO), Stavanger, Norway; Financial Management Support
Operations (FM SPO) officer forward Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan - Operation Enduring
Freedom (OEF); Commander, 101st Financial Management Company (FMCO) forward Bagram
Airfield, Afghanistan – OEF; CONOPS Division Chief, U.S. Army Central Command G8;
Executive Officer for the G8, United States Army Central Command; Financial Management
Branch Chief, Force Sustainment Division (FSD), Officer Personnel Management Division
(OPMD), Human Resources Command (HRC); Director, 18th Financial Management Support
Center (FMSC), 1st Theater Sustainment Command (TSC) Ft. Knox, KY and Camp Arifjan,
Kuwait in support of Operation Spartan Shield (OSS); Chief of Staff, United States Army
Financial Management Command (USAFMCOM), Army Materiel Command; Deputy Chief of
Staff G8, Human Resources Command (HRC).
His military education includes: Air Defense Artillery Basic Course, Field Artillery Advance
Course, Combined Arms Service Staff School, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle Commander’s
Course, National Training Center Observer/Controller Course, Army Comptrollership Course,
Support Operations Course, and US Army Command and General Staff College.
His decorations include: Legion of Merit w/1 oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Defense
Meritorious Service Medal w/1 oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal w/6 oak leaf clusters,
Army Commendation Medal w/3 oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal, Afghanistan
Campaign Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, NATO Medal, Parachutist Badge, and
Air Assault Badge.
COL(R) Barnett and his spouse of 30 years, Christina, reside in Cumberland Furnace,
Tennessee. They have one daughter – Isabella (28). COL(R) Barnett retired in the Clarksville,
Tennessee area where he started a rewarding second career as a high school teacher.
army instructor
Command Sergeant major (RET.) Justin A. Conner
Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Justin A. Conner is a native of Evansville, Indiana. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in October 1996 and retired in December 2019 after 23 years of honorable service.
CSM Conner served in the 75th Ranger Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division (AASLT), and 6th Ranger Training Battalion.
CSM Conner has deployed to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain during Operation Desert Focus, Kosovo in support of United Nations, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom I, and twice to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom (08-09, 10-11).
CSM Conner’s military education includes: Airborne School; Air Assault School; Pathfinder School; Jumpmaster School; Ranger School; Sniper Sustainment Course; Total Army Instructors Course; Warrior Leaders Course; Advances Leaders Course; Senior Leaders Course; Master Resilience Training Course; United States Army Sergeants Major Course Class 65. His civilian education includes an Associate of Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Arts, and a Project Management Professional certificate from Syracuse University.
CSM Conner’s awards and decorations include: Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with V device and two oak leaf clusters, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with 8 oak leaf clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal 7th award, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 3 stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NATO Medal, Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO) Professional Development Ribbon numeral 4, National Defense Service Medal, Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Air Assault Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Infantryman Badge, German Marksmanship Badge (Silver), German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Gold), Chilean Jump Wings, Ecuadorian Jump Wings, and recipient of the Order of Saint Maurice. CSM Conner was selected as the Fort Benning and Infantry Center NCO of the year in 2004, and was a “Top Ten” finisher of the 2005 David E. Grange Best Ranger Competition. CSM Conner was inducted as a distinguished member of the 502nd and 327th Infantry Regiments.
CSM (R) Conner is married to the former Allison Ward and has two daughters and a son, Peyton, Alana, and Drew.