Colonel Anthony D. Babcock is the commander, Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education. In this role he provides leadership for all aspects of enlisted education, including Airman Leadership Schools, NCO Academy (stateside), Senior NCO Academy, Community College of the Air Force, Air Force Enlisted Heritage Research Institute, Air Force Career Development Academy, Enlisted PME Instructor Course and Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course.
Colonel Babcock was commissioned in 1996 from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has served in various mobility, special operations, and fighter aircraft maintenance organizations, and has completed staff officer assignments at Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Headquarters Air Force, and the Joint Staff. He has commanded deployed, flightline and backshop maintenance squadrons, and Maintenance Groups in both Air Mobility Command and Air Force Special Operations Command.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science degree, Military History, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2003 Air Force Intern Program, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
2003 United States Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School, by seminar
2003 Master of Arts, Organizational Management, The George Washington University, Washington D.C.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL, by correspondence
2010 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL, by correspondence
2011 Advanced Program in Logistics and Technology, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina
2015 Master of Science degree in National Resource Strategy, National Defense University, The Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Washington D.C.
2017 Fellow, Seminar XXI, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2020 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1996 - May 1997, Sortie Generation Flight Maintenance Officer, 319th Aircraft Generation Squadron, Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.
2. May 1997 - December 1998, Chief, Quality Assurance, 319th Logistics Group, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
3. December 1998 - June 2002, Tanker Airlift Control Element Operations Officer/Commander, 621st Air Mobility Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
4. June 2002 - June 2003, Air Force Intern, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
5. June 2003 - May 2004, OIC, 15th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, Hurlburt Field, Fla
6. May 2004 - August 2007, Maintenance Operations Officer, 16th Helicopter Maintenance Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla
7. August 2006 – April 2007, Chief, Fixed Wing Maintenance Section, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla
8. April 2007 – Nov 2007, Executive Officer to the Vice Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla
9. Nov 2007 – May 2008, Aide-de-camp to the Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla
10. May 2008 – August 2008, Maintenance Operations Officer, 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
11. August 2008 – May 2010, Commander, 49th Maintenance Operations Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
12. June 2010 – July 2012, Commander, 352nd Special Operations Maintenance Squadron, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom
13. July 2012 – July 2013, Deputy Chief, Global Mobility Division, Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategic Plans and Programs (A8), Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. July 2013 – August 2014, Exercise Branch Chief, Program Integration Division, Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategic Plans and Programs (A8), Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
15. August 2014 – June 2015, Student, National Defense University, The Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Washington, D.C.
16. June 2015 – February 2016, Deputy Division Chief, Pakistan-Afghanistan Division, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
17. February 2016 – July 2017, Chief of Staff, Transregional Threats Coordination Cell, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
18. August 2017 – June 2019, Commander, 62nd Maintenance Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash
19. July 2019 – May 2021, Commander, 1st Special Operations Maintenance Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla
20. Jun 2021 – present, Commander, Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Ala
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
June 2015 – February 2016, Deputy Division Chief, Pakistan-Afghanistan Division, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
February 2016 – July 2017, Chief of Staff, Transregional Threats Coordination Cell, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 1996
First Lieutenant May 29, 1998
Captain May 29, 2000
Major May 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel Mar 1, 2010
Colonel April 1, 2016
(Current as of June 2021)